Ben 10 Alien Force Homecoming
by crystalquirt
Summary: Violence and angst. Ben, Gwen, Kevin and Julie went to California to investigate alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. Of course a little romance – but really – it’s not about
1. Chapter 1

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming

By Crystalquirt

The trio went to California to investigate some alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. While there Gwen and Kevin become very close and explore their feelings for each other. Violence and angst.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Gwen was late. Kevin went out to the deck overlooking the ocean, wearing his green Speedo swimwear. They fit his form nicely. He sat his Pepsi next to the lounge chair and stretched out on his back nearly flat with his feet up so he could see the sky. The warm varnished wood felt cool under his hands as he let his arms hang down on either side.

Kevin turned his face toward the sun over the ocean and closed his eyes. The cool breeze off the ocean combined with the warmth of the sun, and made goose bumps run across his chest and flat stomach.

This was bliss. It couldn't get any better, except, impossibly, it really was about to get better for him. Gwen would arrive any minute, and in fact she was already later than she had planned and he had hoped. He grinned at the image he had in his head of Gwen and the image smiled back at him. He kept his eyes shut so he could stare at Gwen Tennyson longer.

Ben Tennyson was at the local library researching newspaper articles concerning explosions that had been happening in the area. One of the plumber kids living near Monterey Bay in California had reported seeing a load of Ether Point Energy Cells being transported from a warehouse known by the plumbers to have been used to receive and ship smuggled alien tech.

Kevin was aware of the warehouse long before the plumbers knew. The beach house belonged to one of Kevin's past local contacts and he had arranged for them to stay in it while they investigated. Of course he didn't tell his old 'friend' what they were doing, he told them he had a girl and wanted to collect on an old debt.

"You owe me a month's stay with the girl of my choice in your beach house if I wanna stay that long." Was pretty much all it took to convince the sneak. His 'friend' didn't give him any argument. Kevin referred to the guy as his 'friend' only because they had worked together when it was mutually profitable, but he knew better than to trust him.

Ben said he would be at the library all day finding all the information as he could. He thought if he could find a pattern for the crimes that had been happening, locally and up the coast to San Francisco, and the 'unexplained' explosions and where they occurred, then they could predict where it would happen next and set up a trap to catch them and get the alien tech back.

The library! What a good place for Ben, Kevin thought. It will give me and Gwen some alone time. Another image of Gwen, this time in a bikini, entered his mind. She was smiling at him as she played volleyball in the warm sand. He really was looking forward to her arrival.

Gwen's family had a wedding to go to that she couldn't gracefully get out of. So she was coming by air and would arrive in an airport shuttle. He had left the front door open for her.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Kevin shifted his legs and moaned happily as if he was eating something wonderful, he was drifting off to sleep. The skin covering his tight stomach muscles quivered. He felt a finger's light touch make a circle around his bellybutton before sliding up to his chest.

"You know - you're late." He teased without opening his eyes. "I started without you."

"I'm here now."

"That makes me very happy." He opened his eyes and looked at Gwen. She was even lovelier in person than she had been in his dreams.

"Can I join you?"

"I insist."

It had been a long car ride for Kevin and Ben but they had left days earlier. When Gwen arrived she found the front door open so she put her bags down in one of the bedrooms and quickly showered. She put on her bathing suit before joining Kevin on the deck.

She stretched back in another lounge chair after placing it next to his. "Where is Ben?"

"He is still at the library so we still have some alone time." Kevin sat up on the edge of his lounge chair and faced her. Gwen raised her eyebrow at him. "Alone time, huh?" He smiled, and couldn't help but look at her beauty from her head to her toes. She pushed the lounge chair out flat so she could lie on her stomach. Kevin got the lotion and started rubbing it into her back.

His strong hands were also so gentle. Gwen relaxed right away. When he was through with her back, he sat back on his chair sideways, just to look at her while she rested. Gwen moaned and without looking at him, said softly, "Kevin? . . . More please." He smiled and warmed more lotion in his hands. He laid one hand tentatively on each of the back of her thighs.

"Ok?" he asked permission to continue.

"Oh yes, please!" she answered and as he started to move his hands over the skin on her legs, she tingled all over. He gently but firmly rubbed lotion into the skin on the backs of her legs from her thighs to her heels and then back up to her arms and shoulders.

When he was finished, she rolled over and sat up to face him. "Hey Gwen, you haven't had time to get tan yet, where are you going?"

"Your turn."

Kevin smiled at her and turned to lie on his stomach. After warming the lotion with her hands, she began at his shoulders, and proceeded down his back covering each muscle. Her fingers explored every inch of his shoulders and arms before moving lower. She warmed more lotion and started in the middle of his back. She worked his muscles gently in circles with her fingers.

Kevin's skin tingled and quivered when her fingers went down his sides and across his ribs. He was purring. She leaned up to his ear, "Do you like?"

"MMMmmm, yes!" Even his teeth felt relaxed.

Her touch revealed how much she cared for him. He got a quiver in his stomach and tingling on the back of his neck when he felt her breath by his ear. She lingered and lightly kissed the edge of his ear and nuzzled in his hair behind it, before giving him a line of kisses and down the back of his neck. Gwen continued giving him light kisses down his shoulder before returning her hands to his back.

Gwen's hands returned to his lower back. She slid one finger on each side under the waist of his Speedos and pulled them down just a little – just to have a little more room to put the lotion on. That was all. She massaged his hips and loins, working in circles before she moved back up his back for a little more massage.

She squirted, straight from the bottle, lines of lotion down both of his legs from the bottom edge of the speedos to his heels. It was cool, and his feet came up off the chair a little. He moaned as the tingling went all over his body. It seemed like an eternity while she put the cap back on the bottle and set it down, but finally he felt her hands on his legs. His muscles turned to pudding very quickly under her hands.

As she worked his leg muscles she felt such a tight knot in the back of his thigh near the edge of his swimsuit. She moved both hands to it and began working around it. Then she realized, it was a scar, a deep one. The scar tissue went deep into the muscle. She frowned.

Kevin felt her looking at his scar, one of many – but she wouldn't have seen this one before. He told her "it's from a bullet, when I was 12." Gwen continued working down his legs, "What happened? Can you tell me?"

"My father was angry with me for bringing home a stray dog. He shot the dog and then he laughed as he tried to shot me in the butt as punishment. It burned and hurt so bad I think I passed out. I don't remember much until being in the car on the way to the hospital the next day. My dad felt kinda bad when he sobered up and decided he better take me to the hospital. He yelled at me and threw me roughly over his shoulder because I couldn't walk from where he parked to the emergency room doors.

He laughed and cracked jokes the whole time thinking it was still real funny. He told the doctors that I had found his gun and s-shot myself accidentally!" Kevin's voice was getting louder and Gwen could feel his muscles tightening up as she massaged him.

"Can you BELIEVE that? How stupid were they? A twelve year old kid can't 'accidentally' shoot himself in the butt!" Kevin's voice cracked like he was going to cry. Gwen picked up on his shoulder indicating she wanted him to sit up. He sat up reluctantly and faced her, quickly wiping his eyes with his knuckles. "I'm sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry for." Gwen pulled him off the chair by his hands and they sat on the wooden deck on towels. She put her arms around him and held him tight with her head on his shoulder. He hugged her back with his eyes shut tight. Gwen heard Kevin sniffle a little. She lifted her head to look at him, to see his eyes. He blinked as he looked back at her.

"Gwen?"

"Don't talk anymore." She closed her eyes and pressed her lips to his. His eyes got huge for a moment, but then his eyelids closed slowly as he melted into her kiss. Their tongues met and he put his hand on the back of her neck and jaw trying to get even closer to her.

When the kiss was finally over Gwen stretched out on her side looking out at the ocean. She had her hands together under hear head as she put it down. Kevin scooted in close behind her and supported his head with his hand so he could look down at her. Gwen reached back and found his hand to pull his arm around her waist. She left her hand on top of his and pressed it into her stomach.

Kevin and Gwen heard the door, and small noises in the small house. "Ben must be back. Do you think he will say anything?" Kevin started to get up.

Gwen held his hand tighter pulled him back down. She rolled over to face him. "I don't care if he does, but he won't." She explored his chest muscles and the lines of his jaw before she put her arm around him and pulled him closer. He pressed up closer to her too and they kissed again.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

In the house, it was not Ben. Two masked men wearing black sweats came in without being very quiet. Even though Kevin's car was parked in the driveway, they had been told that no one would be there. "You run the wires, be sure they cannot be seen and don't disturb anything." The guy pulled out the stove and started making connections using the gas lines. The other one stuck his head in the fireplace and found the gas lines and electric wiring for the ignition.

As one of them moved through the living room, he saw Gwen and Kevin's feet on the deck in-between the curtains and stopped to carefully look out. He went back over to his partner and spoke softly, "There are two kids necking on the deck out back!" What do we do?

"We keep working, sounds like they are too busy with each other to notice us if we are quiet. This will only take another moment. All that is left is the timer." The guy moved quietly back to the fireplace and picked up his tools. The largest item among them, was a folded crossbow. The black clad figure unfolded the crossbow and loaded an arrow. Then he leaned back on the couch, where he had a clear shot at the front and back doors.

While his partner finished he playfully aimed at the teens on the deck. The other guy gathered his tools and made sure there was nothing out of place in the area he worked in, and when he saw the other guy playing with his crossbow he checked his work areas too just to be sure.

When he was sure everything was just like it was when they got there, he joined him and they started back to the front door.

It was almost dark, but still very warm outside and Ben finally got home. He wore a white t shirt and jeans while out in the heat of the day. The white shirt made it easier for the home invaders to see him in the dim light.

Ben came on in and closed the door behind him, with his arms full of maps and papers. He turned to see to masked men standing in front of him and gasped.

"HANDS UP!" Ben dropped everything and put his arms up, intending to slap the Omnitrix while his hands were up. He wondered very briefly where Kevin and Gwen were.

Before he could cry out for them, or slap the Omnitrix, the crossbow fired. The arrow hit Ben in the arm, and lifted him up a little as it pinned him to the wall with his arm well above his head.

His arm was in the air when the arrow hit and it went through between the Omnitrix and his elbow. Some of his weight now hung on the wound and he screamed as he tried to get up higher on his toes. The pain prevented him from reaching the Omnitrix with his other hand. The two invaders ignored his screams and shoved his body aside to open the door and run out.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Kevin and Gwen were startled out of their bliss by Ben's screams. All they had on the wooden deck was, wood – so that is what Kevin touched to armor himself before they ran in. Gwen shook her hands down and ignited the energy balls before running in.

They ran in toward the source of the screaming. It was dark and they couldn't see what was going on. Gwen brightened her pink glowing energy surrounding her palms and Kevin found the light switch. They saw Ben and ran to him. They couldn't tell exactly what was happening to him until they got to his side.

"Oh NO! Ben!" He gritted his teeth trying to cope with the pain as he looked at Gwen. Blood from the arrow pulling against his flesh with his weight hanging from it, ran down under his arm and soaked his under arm and side of the shirt.

Gwen put her arms around his hips and lifted him up to relieve the pressure some. Ben put his head back and tears ran into his hair. Kevin's armor dissolved from his body as he reached up and pulled the arrow out of the wall, but it didn't come out of Ben's arm.

Ben was shaking like he was going into shock. Gwen let him sit down on the floor. "Ben! What happened?"

"I-I don't know who they were, they were in here . . ." Kevin wrapped his fingers around Ben's arm. The arrow stuck out between his fingers. He grabbed onto the end of the arrow with his other hand. He told Ben, "Brace yourself!" and he yanked the arrow out of his arm. Ben fainted.

"Why did you do that? He didn't get to tell us what happened or who attacked him!"

"Well, how was I supposed to know he was gonna faint?"

Gwen sat down and pulled Ben's head and shoulders into her lap. She patted his cheek, "Ben?" Kevin handed her a clean washcloth and Gwen folded it and wrapped it around his arm being sure it covered both wounds. She applied light pressure to stop the bleeding while Kevin searched the rest of the house for any sign of intruders and to make sure they were alone.

"Whoever it was, they are long gone." he stated, as he joined Ben and Gwen back by the front door. ". . . and I don't see any sign of why they were here or what they did.

Ben's eyes fluttered open and he looked up at Gwen.

"How are you feeling?"

"Ow." Was all he said as he looked at Kevin and frowned.

Kevin smiled mischievously at him "Sorry man."

Ben leaned forward to get up. Kevin took the hand he offered and helped him up. Ben kept his injured arm with the Omnitrix against his body. He set the dial to Swampfire while Gwen and Kevin stepped back. He slapped it, a little more gently than usual, but his arm still hurt.

Ben turned into Swampfire and watched as the small holes in Swampfire's arm smoothed over. He turned back into Ben and cautiously felt where the holes had been. He made a fist and watched his arm as he opened and closed it. "Feels good as new!" His arm and shirt still had smeared blood all over one side.

"That is a cool trick, Tennyson." Kevin observed. "Now, who was here and why did they attack you? That is the question."

". . . and when did they get here? We didn't hear anything until you screamed." Gwen was picking up all the papers and maps that Ben had brought with him.

"I'm afraid I don't know much either. I came in the front door and saw two of them. They wore black clothes and black masks. They didn't talk much."

"What were they doing?"

"They were leaving. Whatever they came for, they must have gotten it."

"Kevin, this is your friend's house, what does he keep here that thieves might be after?"

"I don't know! I doubt he would leave anything of value here, while he knows I am here. We probably trust each other about the same.

Ben unstuck the drying blood from his skin by pulling the shirt out from under his armpit. "Ewe, I'm going up to get a shower."

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

To Be Continued . . .


	2. Chapter 2

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 2 – BOOM!

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. The trio went to California to investigate some alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. While there Gwen and Kevin become very close and explore their feelings for each other. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

From part 1

"Kevin, this is your friend's house, what does he keep here thieves might be after?"

"I don't know! I doubt he would leave anything of value here, while he knows I am here. We probably trust each other about the same."

Ben unstuck the drying blood from his skin by pulling the shirt out from under his armpit. "Ewe, I'm going up to get a shower."

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Upstairs, Ben just threw his bloody shirt straight into the garbage can. He decided it wasn't worth even trying to wash. Luckily no blood got on his pants. His arm was still trying to stick to his side with blood and it grossed him out.

When the water got hot in the shower he dropped his boxers and got in. Becoming Swampfire for a moment not only healed his 'flesh wound' but helped his other sore muscles feel better. The hot water and half a bottle of body soap washed the dried blood off his body. He paused and watched while the last of it went down the drain as he thought about what happened.

Ben was worried about the thieves. Were they even thieves? They couldn't tell if anything had been stolen since it wasn't their house. Maybe they should report it to the police? Could the aliens have sent those guys to get rid of them? It wouldn't be the first time. The three of them were making enemies.

Kevin didn't tell the house owner what they were doing, and no one else should even know they were there. He found it all very troubling.

Ben realized he had stayed in the shower so long that the hot water had run out. He shivered as he quickly turned off the water and got out. He dried off and put on one of his black t-shirts and shorts and went back downstairs. It smelled like something was cooking, but he couldn't tell what, ewe! Kevin must be cooking again.

Downstairs, Gwen pulled a t-shirt on over her bathing suit and sat at the dining table going through the papers that Ben dropped. She was trying to put them back into some sort of order while Kevin was cooking something for them to eat. Kevin had pulled green shorts on over his bathing suit, but was still cooking without a shirt on. If Gwen had noticed, she would have been grossed out.

Had several boxes of ready-made meals open and was stirring stuff in bowls. He found the skillets and pans and got out a couple. He filled a pot with water and put it on the stove. Gwen saw him, "You know that is too much water, it will take forever to boil, and when it finally does it will boil over the sides."

"WHO is cooking here?"

"I'm just saying, you better use a bigger pot, if you really need that much water."

"Don't sweat it!" Kevin smiled at her as he found a little pile that was made up of a nut, like connects gas lines, and clippings from electric wiring, down alongside burner. He frowned at the odd location of the debris, but once he had it cleaned out, he reached down to turn on the front burner.

The burner's ignition clicked and clicked but wouldn't ignite. He turned it off and then back on again. There was a loud popping sound, and then it lit like normal. He pulled the pot full of water over the flame.

Soon Kevin had the oven and all four burners going. As he mixed and stirred the boxes and wrappers piled up on one side of the counter and the dirty bowls, plates and carving boards were piling up in the sink.

Gwen wasn't watching him. She didn't even look up when she smelled the unidentifiable smells he was making. The information that Ben had gathered was interesting. She didn't see a pattern yet though. Ben came back down and sat next to her.

"You look much better, Ben." Gwen observed, but Ben was staring at the production that Kevin had going.

"I think we should'a just ordered pizza."

"Probably."

"Watch it! I won't administer my 'special first aid' for you again if you criticize the cook."

"Ouuuch. What a threat." Ben smiled and pretended to shudder. "Don't you think we should call the police? Someone did break in you know. Wouldn't your friend want it reported?"

"No, I can say almost for sure that he would not want the police involved no matter what."

Gwen still hadn't been paying attention to their conversation. "Well at least we can see all the robberies took place in businesses that sold some kind of electronics."

"And they happened on Monday or Tuesday each time." Ben remembered.

"What good is that? Does it mean something?" Kevin left his pots and walked over to look over Gwen's shoulder. "We don't know yet Kevin, first we have to find the similarities, and then find out what they mean."

Kevin didn't answer her. He had already become distracted and started to nuzzle Gwen's ear and kissed it. She turned her head and kissed him back. "Don't you think we should concentrate on figuring this out?"

"Are you saying you are finding my good looks, charm and sophistication too distracting for you to do your work?" Kevin grinned at her.

Gwen said simply "yes." So Kevin stood behind her and put his arms around her shoulders.

"Ewee, would you two just quit it?" Ben was wishing that Julie had come with them.

A really terrible burning smell invaded their noses and they all turned around at the same time to see his food burning – one pot literally! Flames flickered out of a pan in the back and fire licked up the wall behind the stove.

They all three jumped up and Ben turned back into Swampfire. He reached over and turned off all the burners, then put a lid on the pot that was flaming. Kevin got out the fire extinguisher and put out the wall and the curtains by the kitchen window.

They all looked at each other and at the same time said "Pizza." Kevin gave up and made the call.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

"What is your friend going to say about the condition of his house when he gets home? Even without the fire damage, it's gonna take hours to clean all this up Kevin."

"Don't worry yourself Ben. I'll take care of it."

Ben glared at him for a moment before he went out on the deck.

Gwen started toward the stairs. "My hair smells like smoke. It's my turn for a shower."

Kevin practically fell over himself, "Wait up there Gwen. I think I can help you with that."

"With what?" Gwen turned and looked at Kevin. He wiped off his hands and jogged to catch up to her. "I am trained in 'shower'-you might say I am an expert."

"Really? Well how much more lucky can I get?"

"As lucky as you want to get." Gwen giggled and Kevin goosed her twice while running up the stairs.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Ben stood on the deck and looked out at the moonlight that reflected off the waves, thinking. His research had discovered that there had been more explosions than they had heard about. If it was indeed Ether Point Energy Cells that were being used there must be a lot of them available to someone.

He couldn't think of a reason why the Highbreed would want to rob electronics stores. Human tech was far inferior to anything they had. The same was true of the Forever Knights. Ben leaned forward with his arms on the railing and sipped from a Pepsi can. This isn't a smoothie, but I guess we all have to make sacrifices sometimes, he thought.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Upstairs, Gwen made Kevin wait in the bedroom while she showered. She told him she didn't really need help with showers, but had added a 'yet' that kept his dreams alive. He stood at the window and looked down at his car. He drooled a little whenever he looked at it, almost the same way he drooled over Gwen.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Downstairs, under the stove, a clock ticked. In the fireplace, another clock ticked. Both clocks were timers that were connected to bombs and ran off the electricity supplied by the house. Planted by the guys that the trio thought were thieves. They had been placed in the house in both cases, where the natural gas entered. They were designed to go off at the same time, and nearly did.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Gwen stepped out of the shower and put her white bikini back on with a white t-shirt over it. Maybe there would be time for a little swim with Kevin later in the moonlight. She plugged in the hairdryer. One explosion came right after the other.

Ben stood on the deck, nearly between the two bombs. He didn't even have time to turn and look. The blast blew out the wall and glass behind him. Ben was blasted over the railing and out over the beach and rocks below. His hair was singed and his ears were ringing loudly as he slapped the Omnitrix while he flew through the air.

Just as his body was about to collide with the rocks on the shore below, Big Chill appeared and spread his wings. Big Chill swooped once, missing the rocks and went way out into the water instead. The impact with the water made Big Chill go limp for a few moments.

As he woke up Ben thought No! Not what I wanted – I wanted Jetray! Big Chill swam up to the surface and tried to shake out his huge, soft, moth-like wings. He flapped and couldn't get any lift. The Omnitrix wouldn't let him change again. "Oh man! Hurry! Maybe it's wet?" He slapped it again and again as he swam as Big Chill, a species not really known for their swimming ability. He could see the beach and the house burning – upstairs and down. "Gwen! - Kevin!" Ben felt helpless as he fought to swim faster, while continuing to try to get Jetray.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Kevin felt the intense heat and pressure at his back as he was propelled through the window. He hit the edge of the roof on his way down to the front lawn.

Gwen, still in the bathroom was blown back from the mirror when the wall blew in to the room. She was thrown into the shower stall with the glass from the mirror and debris from the wall. The bathroom door and what was left of the walls on both sides of it exploded in flames and the room quickly filled with smoke.

Kevin landed out in the yard on his back. He would have taken the time to be dizzy for a moment – but "Gwen!" He rolled to his feet and stumbled into a run to get back inside without a thought.

Inside he tried to hold his breath. He ran past the crumbled fireplace brick debris and touched it. He was running again, up what was left of the stairs before the red brick armor even finished forming. At the top of the stairs he jumped over a patch of burning carpet and kicked in the bedroom door.

His brick skin allowed him to go through the flames in the stairs and hallway in front of the bedroom to get to the bathroom where Gwen had been. The smoke was so thick he could barely see anything and he started coughing.

Kevin found Gwen unconscious in the rubble in the shower stall. He knocked the glass away with his brick covered fingers and scooped her up in his arms. He ran back out through the smoke to try and go back the way he came.

He found the stairs were fully engulfed now with fire and part of the ceiling had fallen down, blocking it. Kevin could still go that way, but Gwen wouldn't make it through the flames. Her t-shirt and ends of her once damp hair were already singed just from him getting close to the stairs. The heat from the fire had even dried her hair, before singeing it.

He took her back in the bedroom and over to the same window he had been blown out of. Jetray screamed their names as he flew past the window very fast. He circled and came back just as fast when he heard Kevin call him. While coughing, Kevin held Gwen out for Jetray to take her away from him. Jetray lifted her gently and started to take her to safety. "I will come back for you!"

"NO! Take care of her! I'll be fine!" Kevin ran back into the burning house.

"Kevin-come back!" Ben flew a ways out from the house and put Gwen down on the lawn. He turned back into Ben and checked her. "Gwen! No! Breathe Gwen!" Ben begged as he tilted her head back and started artificial respiration for her. He looked at the house and Kevin wasn't coming yet! "KEVIN!" he screamed, but he didn't dare leave Gwen. He blew another breath into her chest.

Before Kevin got to front door the ceiling near the staircase on the first floor fell and landed on his head and back. The brick armor protected him, from the impact and would continue to protect his human skin from the flames for a while at least, but he was pinned, and having trouble breathing.

Kevin struggled weakly and tried to pull himself out from under the burning beams. He felt like he was going to bake in his armor and he couldn't see or breathe for the smoke. Kevin thought at least Gwen and Ben were safe and passed out. His brick armor dissolved with the red hot boards and embers lying across his bare back and legs.

Gwen coughed suddenly in between Ben's breaths and looked up into Ben's tear filled eyes. "Ben?"

She choked out, "Where's Kevin?" Ben was already gone, Big Chill glided very fast to the house. He landed just inside, where the door used to be. Big Chill started cooling off the nearest flames with his breath and they went out.

It also helped blow out the smoke, so he could see that Kevin was lying under burning debris nearby, but with no armor on!

"Kevin!" Big Chill blew ice on the debris covering Kevin and the flames went out, his breath also cooled Kevin's skin. But as Big Chill he was not strong enough to get the debris off and carry him out.

Light flashed and Humongousaur threw the debris off Kevin like it was made of match sticks. He picked him up and backed out, since there was no room for Humongousaur to turn around in there. He ran with Kevin in his arms back out to where Gwen still coughing violently. She watched hopefully, afraid to even blink as Humongousaur came out and ran toward her holding Kevin.

"K-Kevin! –Ben! Is he?" Gwen gasped when she saw Kevin's burned skin on his back as Humongousaur put him down by her.

Ben suddenly stood where Humongousaur had been, and kneeled by Kevin. He checked for a pulse. And couldn't find one! "NO! Kevin! Don't leave us!"

Gwen covered her mouth with both hands for a moment before crawling to his side. Ben started chest compressions and she tilted his head back to breathe for him. She choked tears back and coughed in-between each breath.

Ben counted for them, "One-two-three" and they kept up this rhythm while fire engines pulled up in front of the house. One engine pulled up on the lawn and went right past them to get back to the house. The paramedics rushed to the kids and took over for Ben and Gwen.

They intubated Kevin and put him on a respirator. One paramedic pulled out the paddle electrodes and fired up the Defibrillator. They counted voltage, and put the paddles in place on Kevin's chest. "Clear!"

When the Defibrillator zapped him, his whole body jerked. Gwen jumped too and Ben held her tighter as tears ran down her cheeks.

They heard a paramedic say "Nothing-again" and they started over, one counted . . . Gwen screamed, "No Kevin! PLEASE!" She tried to go to him but Ben held her tight to keep her out of the paramedic's way. She jumped again and whimpered when she heard them zap him again.

"We got sinus rhythm!" the paramedics scrambled, each taking on another task, one started an IV, another got the fluids hung and put a blood pressure cuff on him. One stuck electrodes all over his chest. All Kevin still had on was shorts. At least the paramedics had quick access to his skin.

Gwen still watched in terror. She had never seen him so limp, so defenseless before. Her fear turned to anger and she pointed it at Ben.

"Why didn't you get him out when you got me? You did get me out didn't you? Didn't you have a hero that could carry us both?"

Ben spoke softly, for her sake, and not wanting the firemen to hear him "I was Jetray, Kevin handed you out to me and I told him to wait for me to get him, but he said no and ran back inside the house to come out on his own. He didn't want me to leave you, and I couldn't since you were not breathing at the time."

"AAAAhhh – He saved me, he got me out and you just carried me? You shouldn't have let him go back in-why did he go back in?" Gwen started pounding on Ben's chest with her fists and he put his arms around her to hold her tight. She stopped fighting right away and cried into his neck. His eyes welled up with tears too; as he watched the EMTs tend to Kevin. They had him on a gurney now, and were making their final checks before putting him in the ambulance.

"Hey guys, can you see if his car keys are in his shorts pockets?" He figured on using Kevin's car to follow the ambulance to the hospital. Ben also figured this qualified as an emergency.

The EMT handed Ben the keys and they put Kevin in the ambulance. In another minute the ambulance pulled back out on the street and the sirens started blaring. Ben and Gwen were right behind it in Kevin's car.

The Pizza guy stood amongst the chaos and ate the pizza.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

To be continued . . .


	3. Chapter 3 Dr Brackett

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 3 –Dr. Brackett

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. The trio went to California to investigate some alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. While there Gwen and Kevin become very close and explore their feelings for each other. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

From part 2

"AAAAhhh – He saved me, he got me out and you just carried me? You shouldn't have let him go back in-why did he go back in?" Gwen started pounding on Ben's chest with her fists and he put his arms around her to hold her tight. She stopped fighting right away and cried into his neck. His eyes welled up with tears too; as he watched the EMTs tend to Kevin. They had him on a gurney now, and were making their final checks before putting him in the ambulance.

"Hey guys, can you see if his car keys are in his pockets?" he figured on using Kevin's car to follow the ambulance to the hospital. Ben figured this qualified as an emergency.

The EMT handed Ben the keys and they put Kevin in the ambulance. In another minute the ambulance pulled back out on the street and the sirens started blaring. Ben and Gwen were right behind it in Kevin's car.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

They follow the ambulance in without much trouble. Traffic was so bad Ben didn't even have trouble keeping up.

"Are you family?"

"Yes, brother and sister." Gwen sounded nervous. Ben thought it was lucky that the nurse questioning them looked tired, and probably just wanted a long shift to be over.

He handed Ben a small basket with a ring, a chain with a dog tag on it and some change in it. It had been all Kevin had on his person or in his green shorts pockets at the time of the explosion.

Gwen just stared at the little basket, Ben's voice cracked and was very high, "His effects? You mean?"

"Hey! I don't know anything about the case. I was just told to give you these. The doctor will be out to speak to you in a moment. In the meantime the admitting nurse at the desk over there, needs his insurance info." Ben looked around nervously, but said ok.

When he was alone with Gwen, he said "I suppose we should call his mom."

"I think we should wait 'til we know what to tell her."

Kevin didn't have his wallet on him, so no insurance info, or ID or nuthin' – we are going to have to call his mom anyway."

"Not yet, that admitting desk is very busy, she will probably forget us for a while at least. What worries me is, Kevin's plumber's badge is not in the basket. I saw him put that in his short's pocket when he put them on. He's never without it."

"You were watching him get dressed? Gwen!" he tried to get her to smile, which she did a little. "Maybe the badge fell out of his pocket and burned up – I hope, don't want anyone else finding it and we can get him another one."

They sat down in emergency waiting area on a couch. Gwen leaned on Ben and he put his arm around her. Ben couldn't even come up with an encouraging word. He didn't feel encouraged. He had seen the pile of debris that had fallen on Kevin and didn't know when he lost his armor, or how long he had gone without a heartbeat or breath. Gwen heard Ben sniffle and looked up at him. She saw tears in his eyes too.

Just then, a nurse came over and asked them to step into the doctor's office. That seemed unusual to both of them. "Why in private?" Gwen asked fearfully. "Come on." The nurse answered simply- but not helpfully.

"Ben? You don't think . . . you . . . he . . . " Gwen started to cry as they walked together across the hall and into a small office. Ben did think what she was thinking, he thought they were about to be told the thing they feared the most had happened. He just couldn't answer her.

The nurse told them to have a seat, "Make yourselves comfortable and the doctor will be in."

Gwen said, "Ya, comfortable . . . " and started sobbing uncontrollably. The nurse closed the door, leaving them alone. Ben thought that nurse would know something and if it wasn't true, if Kevin hadn't died, wouldn't she have told them something to relieve a little of their fears and sorrow?

They had become so close. Very, very close in Gwen's case. He thought about how much she loved that big brute. He suspected she liked him from the time he first started to work with them, before Ben really trusted him.

Kevin was very handy to have around, since he could drive and had a lot of contacts. He could make all kind of arrangements that Ben wouldn't know how to begin to make, like a beach house in Monterey Bay California! If Ben was alone, a seedy motel in a bad part of town would have been as close as they got.

Kevin was great in a fight and had saved them both many times. He was sure Gwen would agree that their friendship had become closer than just him being handy to have around. He missed him already. He was sure Gwen loved him and dreamed of more than just being his friend. Ben thought about how he looked forward to hanging with him, and talking to him about his problems. There was a lot he could teach him. He had begun to think of Kevin as his brother.

The door opening snapped Ben out of his thoughts and made a huge knot form in his stomach. A young doctor had come in. Blond hair, looking pleasant and even a little 'happy'. Ben frowned as he watched him. Gwen sat up straight and watched him too as she tried to dry her eyes with tissue from the docs desk. The doctor walked past them and behind the desk where he sat down facing them. He tossed Kevin's Plumbers badge on the desktop. They all watched it silently as it rolled on its edge for a turn before it fell flat.

Gwen and Ben looked at each other, not knowing what to think. Was this doctor more concerned with this object that he couldn't possibly know about, than he was telling them about Kevin's condition?

"Ben Tennyson, I am glad to meet you and this must be Gwen. You really are lovely."

He knows who we are? Ben thought. Gwen demanded, "Doctor! Please! What about our friend!"

"Oh he is doing fine, amazing really. His heart and lungs are working great, and he seems to have suffered no brain damage. The burns on his back were not even as bad as they could have been almost like he had some sort of armor for protection. But then you two know about that, don't you?" the doctor smiled at them.

"I don't know what . . . " Ben started.

"So Kevin will be ok? Is he awake? Can we see him?" Gwen was only hearing the parts about Kevin being ok.

"You two can go see him as soon as we finish here." The doctor promised.

"Well then, what else do we have to talk about?" Ben got up to leave, but as he turned to the door, he picked up Kevin's badge.

"Hold on a minute. I know who you are and what you are doing."

Gwen and Ben looked like deer in headlights. "Sit down. We need to talk just a few more minutes. Kevin will wait, and he is likely to be feeling even better by the time we get there. I have access to a little alien medical tech in this hospital that was of great aide in saving his life and helping him to recover quickly.

"Who are you?"

"I am a plumber, like you. My father worked with your Grandpa Max for a while. I am Dr. Joseph Brackett"

Ben and Gwen sat back down and Dr. ___Brackett_continued, "It was pure luck that your friend drew me as his doctor when he came in. I found the plumbers badge in his shorts pocket while we were examining him I slipped it into my own pocket without anyone seeing."

"Thank-you Dr. ___Brackett_." Gwen said, "Can we go see him now?"

"One more thing, local alien COM traffic indicates more people and perhaps other species know that you three are here. Your names have been all been coming up, so I was not too surprised when I realized who your friend was and that you were the ones to come see him."

"Doctor, we don't have his ID or his insurance info, are we going to have trouble getting out of here?"

"Don't worry about that, I have already taken care of the paperwork. His name won't even appear in our official records. So if anyone is looking for him, they won't find that he has been here."

The Dr. ___Brackett_moved back to the door. Gwen looked like she might just explode if she didn't get to see Kevin. She could hardly dare to believe that he was going to be ok.

Gwen was the first one through the door into his room. Dr. ___Brackett_had even managed to get him a private room. Dr. Bracket excused himself, but said he would come back before they were ready to leave.

Gwen almost flew to the side of Kevin's bed. He appeared to be sleeping. Ben stood at the foot of the bed to give Gwen some room. The bedrails were down on his bed. She found his hand under the sheet and gave it a squeeze, as she leaned over him to look at him. "Kevin?" She said softly and her tears of happiness fell on his cheek. Kevin opened his eyes and blinked to focus on her.

"Gwen," he whispered and managed a smile. Kevin looked to the foot of the bed and saw Ben. "Hey man! Never thought I'd be so happy to see you?"

"Ditto man!" Ben smiled.

"Dr. ___Brackett_said you would be ok!" Gwen felt giddy she was so happy to see him.

He looked back at Ben, "Thanks for pulling me out and I heard you two did CPR until the EMT's got there."

"Kevin we are both just very glad that you will be ok."

Kevin looked thoughtful, "Just one thing, which one of you did the mouth to mouth part?"

Gwen told him "Ben did, and it looked like he was really enjoying himself. I think I have some competition for your attention."

Kevin's eyes got huge and his mouth fell open, "Well man, I'll have to let you down easy I guess, but you aren't curvy enough for me and I like longer hair."

"No problem, Kevin. I will try to get on with my life." He raised his eyebrow at both of them as they giggled. "I knew it was Gwen, I could still taste her sweet lips when I woke up."

"Ewwe that's it, I'm gonna go find a soda or something. Do either of you want anything?"

"I want a Pepsi." Kevin stated. "I will ask the doc, if he says ok, then I will bring you one." Ben left in search of the cafeteria, or a pop machine.

"Kevin, did the doctor say when you would be able to get out of here?"

"Hey! Try not to get his heart beating too fast Gwen! He's been through a lot!" Ben had poked his head back in the door.

"Get out of here." Gwen growled at him and threw a box of tissue that hit the door as Ben closed it."

Kevin scooted up and Gwen raised the head of his bed. "Before we were rudely interrupted, I was going to tell you he didn't really say how long he wanted to keep me, but he said I am doing very well. He wants to put some more fluids and food in me, and I guess when I feel stronger I can go. I have bandages on my back and legs from the burns and he said only one place still needs a little more work to help it heal."

"Are you in pain?"

"Not much, they are giving me some real good stuff for pain." Kevin smiled mischievously.

Ben wandered around in the halls for a few minutes watching the activities. He felt so happy about Kevin. Now that the fear had passed, he was feeling very tired and they never did get to eat. "Gwen is probably hungry too." He thought out loud.

Before him was a break room that had snack and pop machines. He put money in and got sodas and granola bars. He put them down on a table and sat in the chair, only for a minute. Dr. Bracket happened along and saw Ben with his forehead on the table between his stretched out arms.

Dr. ___Brackett_sat down at the table and Ben didn't move or acknowledge his presence.

Dr. ___Brackett_put his hand on Ben's back and patted him gently. "Ben? Wake up." Ben startled and looked around like it took him a second to remember where he was.

"How are you feeling? What happened to you during the explosion?" Dr. ___Brackett_looked concerned.

"I am fine Dr. Bracket. Just tired. How long will Kevin have to say here?"

"If things go like I think they will, just a day or two. Like I said, the plumbers have some really good stuff."

"Ya, they do – we haven't had need of too much medical stuff until now." Ben yawned.

"Is there anything I can do to help you do whatever you are doing in California?"

"I think we are ok, as long as we have Kevin, but if something comes up can I contact you?"

"Sure Ben." They exchanged numbers and Dr. ___Brackett_stood up. "I need to go back to rounds."

"Doctor? Can Kevin have these?" he pointed at the soda and granola bars.

"Sure, if he is wants. Why don't you let me take them to your friends, you can stay in here on that couch and rest for a little while. I will let them know where you are."

"Thank-you Doctor." It all sounded too good to refuse, Ben kept a granola bar and a pop, but they just sat on the table by the couch. He took off his green jacket and was asleep as soon as he curled up on the big soft couch. Dr. ___Brackett_came back in with a blanket off the linen cart in the hall and covered Ben up before turning out the lights and going to Kevin's room.

"Dr. ___Brackett_, thank-you so much for all you did for Kevin!" Gwen was still holding his hand, but had moved to the other side.

The doctor put the sodas and granola bars down on the sheet at the foot of Kevin's bed. "Ben asked me to bring these to you."

"Where is he?"

"He is asleep in the 2nd floor break room. When I found him he had fallen asleep with his head on the table so I told him to stay there a rest a while on the couch."

"Maybe I should go get him. We can come back in the morning."

Kevin looked very disappointed for a moment, and Dr. Bracket told her, "Ben is fine where he is. Visit all you like, I will tell the nurses to leave you alone, even after visiting hours. In fact, Gwen you look pretty beat up yourself and Ben told me you weren't breathing when he got you away from the house."

"Gwen? You weren't breathing?"

"I guess not, that's what Ben said."

Kevin sat up straighter in the bed and took both of her hands in his. "Doc, can you check her out?"

"Sure, I would be happy too."

Gwen was still feeling uneasy – like the universe was shaken up a little and she had to go find Ben. "First I wanna go check on Ben. I won't wake him up if he is ok."

Dr. ___Brackett_had opened the door to leave. "Ok Gwen, when you are ready, let the nurse at the nurses' station out front know and she will page me."

"Kevin, I will be back soon to check on you and do another treatment on your burns." Dr. ___Brackett_left him too, to sit and think about how close he must have come to losing Gwen.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Someone was moving about in the darkened break room. The only light was coming from the soda machine but it cast enough shadow that he could see movement through his closed eyelids. Ben was barely aware of someone being there, but thought he better look. He wanted to tell them if they were on break to go ahead and turn the lights back on if they wanted too.

Ben rose up on one elbow and yawned. He opened his eyes to see a white cloth coming at his face. It pressed over his mouth and nose and pushed his head to the back of the couch. He inhaled in surprise and realized how bad it smelled. He tried to push it away but he was being held down by a strong hand in his chest.

The cloth smelled real bad and made him want to cough. Ben struggled against his attacker, but his kicking and punching went unnoticed. He tried to hold his breath, but couldn't turn his head away and had to breathe through the cloth. After three gasps he was feeling light-headed and dizzy. He could see his attacker's dark eyes staring into his terrified ones. Ben brought his knee up and tried to push him away with his legs without much success.

Ben threw his arm with the Omnitrix back, intending to hit whatever was behind him and activate it, but it only bounced off soft couch cushions. He felt the strong arms pressing harder on his face and chest and he threw his arm back again and again, but he couldn't get it to activate. As Ben passed out he heard the guy say. "That's right, REST Ben – you've had a hard day."

Ben's attacker had pushed a gurney into the break room with him where he could work with a little privacy with the door locked. He put Ben on it, face down. He fastened five straps over him to hold him down, taking special care to tighten his Omnitrix arm down flat on the gurney, over his head and away from any other surface.

He got him out in the vacant hallway and covered him up with a blanket off the same linen cart. He covered Ben, head and all so it would look like he had a cadaver going to the morgue.

Gwen came around the corner. She was walking very fast, feeling strongly that there was something terribly wrong. She saw an orderly covering a deceased patient up on a gurney, and lowered her eyes for a moment not wanting to see a dead body. She found the break room nearby, but Ben was not there. His unopened pop was there, and a blanket and his green sweater were all there and had fallen on the floor carelessly. She quickly focused on his mana searching for him.

She felt him near and took off down the hall. When she rounded a corner past a nurses' station, she saw the guy pushing a gurney with someone covered up on it ahead. The same one she had seen by the break room, and knew he had Ben under that blanket, the mana showed her.

Visiting hours were over and the hallway vacant, so she took action. "Hey! Stop!" the orderly took off running, pushing Ben ahead of him. Gwen fired up her energy bolt and put up a blockade ahead of the guy in the hallway. He lowered himself and tried to ram it with the gurney! The energy shield didn't give and the gurney bounced back and fell over with Ben on it! He was still covered with the blanket and Gwen couldn't see him.

"I really think you should give it up!" she yelled, at him as he jumped to his feet. The fake orderly ran into the nearest patients' room and crashed through the window to get away. The patient in that room screamed. Gwen ran to Ben and pulled the blanket from around him and the gurney. Two nurses came out of a room to see what was going on and the both ran to Gwen when they saw her wrestling with the overturned Gurney.

"Please! Call Dr. ___Brackett!_– We need him specifically – he knows about my friend here." Gwen was trying to get the restraints off of Ben. One nurse went to the phone at the nurses' station to call for the doctor Gwen requested and the other nurse suggested they stand the gurney up with Ben on it. It would keep him flat, and should be ok even if he had been hurt.

At the time, they thought he had been hurt when the gurney overturned, they didn't know he had been drugged. The other nurse got back from making the call and held Ben's head straight while they lifted. The nurses' hesitated to help untie Ben. One said, "I've never seen a patient restrained quite like this before. Is he a mental patient?"

Gwen almost yelled, "No he isn't a mental patient! Help me!"

Dr. ___Brackett_came running up to them and interrupted. "Gwen! What happened?" the doctor put his hand on Gwen's shoulder and spoke softly. "Calm down, we will help Ben, what happened." Gwen looked at him, but then glared at the nurses and motioned she wanted them gone.

"Thank you, Marcy and Donna, I will take it from here." Gwen trotted next to the gurney as the Doctor pushed Ben quickly into the nearest elevator. Once inside, "Gwen said, we gotta get back to Kevin. They are in the building. I just stopped them from kidnapping Ben. The gurney turned over with him on it, is he hurt badly?" Dr. ___Brackett_was examining Ben and getting the straps off of him.

"What happened to him, before that?"

"I don't know, when I saw him, the guy had him covered with a blanket like a dead body. I think he was unconscious then or he would have been yelling for help. When he tried to get away from me with him, the gurney turned over."

"That can be less than fun, but hopefully having him tied down so tight, might have helped protect him from the fall."

They looked both ways before getting out of the elevator, and moved quickly the short distance back to Kevin's room.

Gwen opened the door for the doctor to push the gurney in and closed it. Dr. ___Brackett_went back to examining Ben to see why he was unconscious. Gwen stayed close and helped get the rest of the straps off. "Kevin, we are still in trouble here!"

"I can see that." Kevin had sat up to watch what was happening. "What's wrong with him?"

"Someone tried to take Ben. We almost lost him! We don't know why he is unconscious yet."

After Dr. ___Brackett_was sure, Ben had no broken bones or other physical injuries he and Gwen turned Ben over. Dr. ___Brackett_leaned toward Ben and used his finger to separate Ben's eyelids. When he looked at his eyes, he noticed a strong smell.

He got closer and sniffed near Ben's face. "PHeww. That's it." Gwen looked from Ben to the doc.

"Chloroform! –he's been drugged." Gwen got a hand towel from the bathroom in the room and wet it with warm water. She came back out and started gently wiping the rest of the chemical off of Ben's face and neck. When she was finished, she closed her eyes and pressed her fingertips on her eyelids. Kevin saw her sway a little.

"Gwen! Are you alright?" Dr. ___Brackett_put his arm around her and guided her over to sit in the chair.

"This is too much." Gwen felt too tired to even cry. "The bad guys know we are here, and are in the hospital and we don't even know who they are yet. They were probably responsible for blowing up the beach house."

Dr. ___Brackett_offered. "Don't worry Gwen. I and some more of the plumbers will get you three out of here and protect you."

Ben woke up and almost fell off the gurney. Dr. ___Brackett caught him and told him to stay still. _

_"__Wow, my head hurts!" Ben exclaimed. _

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

To be continued . . .


	4. Chapter 4

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 4 - Escape

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. The trio went to California to investigate some alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. While there Gwen and Kevin become very close and explore their feelings for each other. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

From part 3

"This is too much." Gwen felt too tired to even cry. "The bad guys know we are here, and are in the hospital and we don't even know who they are yet. They were probably responsible for blowing up the beach house."

Dr. Brackett offered. "Don't worry Gwen. I and some more of the plumbers will get you three out of here and protect you."

Ben woke up suddenly coughing, and almost fell off the gurney. Dr. Brackett caught him, "Take it slow Ben."

"Wow, my head hurts!" Ben exclaimed. Gwen got up and went to Ben, he asked her. "How did I get back here? I thought I was really in trouble-someone attacked me and I guess I passed out."

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

"We don't have any advantage here. Let's get out of here, now." Kevin said, he winced as he tried to get out of bed to go to Gwen.

Dr. Brackett told him to stay still, and not to pull out his IV. Kevin reluctantly sat on the edge of the bed, but didn't lie back down. "You three stay in this room while I go contact my buddy and arrange some transport. I will bring you back something for breakfast. Gwen, can you help Ben?"

"Sure Doctor."

Dr. Brackett left to make arrangements for their escape and contact the other plumber he spoke of. His shift had long been over, and he only stayed to help his new, special patients. He hoped no one paged him.

Gwen was at Ben's side. Gwen steadied him while he slid off of it and walked to the chair by Kevin's bed. As he sat down, Gwen asked, "Did you see anything that would give us a clue as to who is behind this? Did the guy who tried to kidnap you say anything?"

"You mean before I let him overpower me?" Ben stared at the floor.

Kevin smirked. "Ya, and before you fainted."

"Thanks Kevin and I didn't faint! I was drugged and no, I couldn't even see his face clearly, but he was strong – or I was just weak. It was dark but I could swear he had red eyes."

"Its ok Ben, the chloroform that you inhaled probably has some lingering side effects. Dr Brackett will help us get out of here, and we can regroup and figure this out."

"I still feel terrible. I am too tired to think."

Gwen sat back on the edge of Kevin's bed. He sat up and pulled her to him she let him pull her to his chest and leaned over on him. "We are all tired, not much sleep last night you know?"

Kevin smiled, "Actually Gwen, I am feeling great! The doc must have given me some really good stuff, and the oxygen was nice. I feel like I could take out a thousand DNAliens!"

Gwen smiled at him looking sleepy. Ben closed his eyes and put his head back to wait.

"Kevin offered, "Hey I could sing you guys a song! A lullaby! "

"No, that is ok." Kevin started singing Mockingbird.

"Hush little baby, don't say a word

Pappas gonna buy you a mockingbird

If that mockingbird don't sing

Pappas gonna buy you a diamond ring"

Kevin pretended to slide a ring on Gwen's finger. She giggled.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

At dawn, Julie got out of the car, where she asked her aunt to drop her off. It was in front of a fancy gated community overlooking the ocean. Cars had to pass the guard, and the guard would call the person's home and see if they were expecting a visitor. Julie was planning to surprise Ben, so she walked through the pedestrian gate next to the guard house. Her aunt pulled away to continue on to San Francisco.

Julie planned to hang out with Ben and his friends, and then meet her aunt again in a couple of days when her business was complete in San Francisco and go home with her. Ben didn't tell her they were on a mission, only that they were going on a trip.

Julie marveled at the beautiful community. The landscaping was perfect, there was not a leaf out of place, and of course, the houses were huge near the front. A block back, they were still huge, just not quite as big as the ones in the front. The address should be on the next block she thought, after getting her bearings and figuring out how the house numbers were arranged. She saw the mailbox ahead with the number 313 on it and squealed with joy – she was here and would see Ben soon!

She jogged past the row of hedges and turned to see a black, burned out hull where a once, nice beach house stood. Julie gasped and walked up into the yard. There was police tape all over and there were deep tire tracks in the lawn where emergency vehicles had driven up to the house to fight the fire.

She thought it looked like a war zone. "Oh Ben!" a wave of fear washed over her and she blinked back tears. There was no one around to ask about it. The guard! She jogged back to the little guard house.

"Sir?" she went up to the aged, overweight guard having a smoke break. "My friends, they were supposed to be staying here, in the home that had burned down. Do you know what happened to them? Are they ok?"

His voice was gruff, and she could see where cancer had probably caused him to lose part of his tongue and lip. His speech was not too clear. "ey girwy, I dun-now, I jus count the cars tat go 'n an' out."

"Well, did any ambulances go in or out?"

"'ure 'ey did." He answered and walked away from her.

Dreading the worst and hoping for the best that could have come from a fire like that. Julie hoped, she really-really hoped, that she would find them at the nearest hospital. She thought they couldn't have walked away from that without an injury – unless they weren't there at all. So she went to the corner to catch a bus.

Once there, the staff nurse in admitting denied having patients with any of the names she gave them. Julie stared at the floor as she started to turn to leave, but she stopped, Ben, Gwen and Kevin, may not be using real names if aliens were responsible for the fire, and they were wrapped up in some mission.

So Julie wandered around the hospital for a little while wondering what to do. Visiting hours had not begun yet and a nurse stopped her and told her she would have to leave. Julie pretended to agree.

When the nurse was out of sight, she ducked into a supply closet, and hid her bag behind the shelves. She got a lab coat off of a cart. She hoped for a second that it was not dirty with anything too gross-or contagious. Her own little purse hung down low and flat and was well hidden under it. She continued down the hall like she belonged there.

The burn ward was on the second floor so she started there. When she got off the elevator on the second floor, she saw a break room across the way with a candy machine, there was a soda and unopened granola bar with a blanket on the floor.

She picked it up, with the soda, granola bar and placed her own keys lying visible on top of the blanket and went to the Nurse's station. "A patient left all this downstairs when we admitted him for burns. Can you tell me which room he wound up in?"

The tired nurse said the last person to arrive with burns was in 206 and went back to playing solitaire on the computer she had been there for two shifts, all night and her mind had checked out two hours ago. Julie went to the room numbered 206 and opened the door a crack to peek in. She couldn't see anyone, but heard Kevin singing the Mockingbird song.

She opened the door a little more and looked in. Ben heard the door and opened his eyes.

"JULIE!" Ben grinned and his heart skipped a beat, but his joy instantly turned to terror. "Oh no, Julie what are you doing here?" Ben got up too fast and almost hit the floor. He steadied himself by hanging on to the edge of Kevin's bed for a moment before going to Julie.

Ben looked a little dizzy and exhausted. "Are you ok Ben?" Julie asked as she gave him a hug.

"I am fine, but we have gotten ourselves into a bit of a pickle here."

"Well, I had hoped you would be a little happier to see me." She took off the lab coat.

"Of course I am happy to see you, but I don't want you to be in danger, that's all." Ben gave her another hug. Julie was here! He would have been overjoyed, but what if their enemy saw her come into the hospital to see them? For all they knew someone meaning them harm could be right outside the door.

"You have to stay with us!" Ben said suddenly.

"I was hoping I could."

"Tennyson! We don't need her tagging along, getting in the way. We don't know what kind of trouble we will get into from here."

"Thanks a lot Kevin, I am happy to see you too."

"No! I didn't mean anything . . . !" Kevin tried to pull his foot out of his mouth.

Ben reasoned, "They probably saw her coming into see us. We can't take a chance that they will try to hurt her too. I want her to stay where I can protect her." He had missed her so much. He gave Julie a long hug before offering her the chair. Julie told him to take the chair. She found a pillow and sat cross-legged in front of Ben on the floor.

"What kind of danger are you guys in? I saw the beach house."

Gwen sat up and looked at Julie more closely, with a raised eyebrow she asked, "How did you find us anyway?"

"Ben told me where you were planning to stay. My aunt lives in Santa Barbara and I went to see her. She had some business in San Francisco so instead of going all the way there with her, she dropped me off here. I saw the beach house had burned and it looked like a terrible fire! I came here to see if any of you had been hurt. What happened?"

"Well if you found us so easily, I am sure anyone looking could quickly do the same." Gwen told her an abbreviated version of what had happened up until then. When she got to the part about Ben being attacked Julie put her hand on his knee and stared at him like she was trying to see inside of him to be sure he is ok.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Dr. Brackett entered quietly, he had heard a new voice. "I see you have a beautiful new team-member since I left only a few minute ago." Julie blushed and stood up as the handsome doctor complimented her.

Ben saw - and raised his eyebrow at both of them "This is Julie, she is coming with us." He stood up too and pushed the chair away from Kevin's bed and out of the way.

Dr. Brackett continued, "I have arranged transportation." He moved over to Kevin's bedside and picked up his arm. He left the IV in his arm, but disconnected it and wrapped tape around it.

"There is a pretty well-equipped ambulance parked at the emergency exit that I have the key to. We will be EMT's taking a patient to another hospital for treatment. The paperwork is already done. You girls can be family and Ben and I will be the EMT's.

"Aw, I wanted to be an EMT." Kevin faked disappointment. "No, you will be the patient – since you really are the patient."

Julie whispered, "Kevin!" when she saw the bandages covering his back and in two places on the back of his legs. He still wore his green shorts, only. He refused to wear the "Old lady" hospital gown once he woke up.

Gwen stayed close as Dr. Bracket showed him the way to the gurney. Kevin hopped up on it, and stretched out. Gwen thought, really he did look well already. Ben and Dr Bracket put on EMT uniforms. Julie and Gwen gathered their few belongings and followed the boys out into the hall and across to the elevator.

"So, do you want an unconscious patient or can I sing some more on the way?"

Ben jumped in "Unconscious."

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

This time of night, there was supposed to be no one in the maternity lab in the basement of the hospital. But still, someone was moving around. On the counter next to the centrifuge and sterilizer sat a little box and a bottle of hair dye. The color matched Ben's natural color perfectly. Albedo Ben cursed his white hair, human body and Ben Tennyson one more time as he read the instructions on the hair dye, put on gloves and took the cap off the bottle.

"Stupid Forever Nights - they almost blew Ben Tennyson and the others up before I could get my revenge."

He spoke to his reflection in the mirror, "Ben, I must find out where you are going with that new doctor friend of yours. Then I can make a deal with the nights that they will let me call the shots until I am through with you.

"I will let them help me capture you and force you to give me the Omnitrix. I will offer to make them one, and then they can do whatever they want with you, as long as it is a long and painful death . . . and I can WATCH you DIE."

It really sounded like a crazy person talking to himself, because it was. Albedo Ben stuck his head in the sink for a final rinse and came up rubbing newly colored hair dry with a towel. When it stopped dripping, he picked up the little plastic box. He leaned back near the mirror and put green contacts in his eyes to hide the red irises that he blamed Ben for too.

The forever knights were responsible for the bombing of the beach house. Their intelligence reported that Ben and his little gang had come to investigate their smuggling operation. Albedo Ben had escaped his prison and had been watching in the shadows after following them to California, waiting for his chance to get Ben. The explosion had almost ruined his plans, but when he saw that Ben had survived, he followed them to the hospital.

He would have got him when he found him sleeping alone in the break room if not for that girl, and now another girl had joined them. He had no idea what kind of powers this new member of his team had and thought he could really make use of the forever nights.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

The strange little group got to the ambulance without incident. EMT's Ben and Dr. Bracket loaded what looked like an unconscious patient through the back doors and fastened him in, including the straps that would keep him from falling off the gurney around corners. Dr. Bracket got back out the back, and went to the front to get in the driver's seat. The whole operation looked very professional.

The engine fired right up. Gwen held Kevin's hand nervously squeezing it. Kevin looked at her and squeezed back gently, "This will work, don't worry." Ben and Julie held on when they felt the ambulance go over the speed bump, down the drive and out on the street.

They were all very quiet for the trip. Gwen sat over by Kevin on the edge of the gurney and put her head on his chest. She couldn't sleep that way, but it was nice to be so close to him. Kevin stroked her hair. Julie made room for Ben to stretch out on the bench and he went to sleep with his legs in her lap.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Albedo Ben, Jetray watched the ambulance leave from his perch on the hospital roof and followed from high in the morning sky.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Ben felt the ambulance turn off of the old highway number 1 and very soon after could feel that they were driving on dirt. He sat up and rubbed his eyes so he could look around. Out the side windows all he could see was trees. He looked out the front, past Dr. Brackett and saw more trees surrounding a little log structure. Dr. Bracket said it was his cabin and they were in the hills near Seaside.

Kevin insisted on walking out of the ambulance. Dr. Bracket grabbed a kit, intending to work on his burns. When they got in and put down the few items they still had with them, he told them there were three bedrooms and the two down the short hallway each had twin beds. The girls could have one and the boys the other. His room was upstairs.

Wow, Ben thought, so much for it looking like a small log structure. It was really huge inside and a little more than a 'cabin'.

Dr. Brackett walked behind Kevin to one of the rooms and Gwen followed. Ben and Julie sat in the living area on the couch together.

"Julie, I am sorry you are involved in this. It could get very dangerous. I should have told you we were investigating some alien tech, but it never occurred to me that you would join us." Julie leaned over on him and found his hand to hold it.

"I am not scared, I have no idea how, but maybe I can be of some help. And don't worry, I will stay out of the way. I don't think Kevin likes me at all, and I'm not sure about Gwen."

"Gwen likes you, and Kevin does too, he just lacks people skills, manners or any sort of social protocol . . . or tact, decorum or proper conduct in public . . . "

Julie interrupted, "Ok I get it, they like me." She grinned at him.

Dr. Brackett instructed Kevin to lie down on one of the twin beds, the one by the window with his head at the foot so the light would be better on his back.

"Is this gonna hurt him Doctor?" Gwen was worrying already.

"I have something to give him so it won't hurt a lot, I hope, and call me Joe."

"Really? Thanks Joe! I've never known a doctor I could call by his first name."

"Oh Gwen! Are you still in the third grade?" Kevin teased.

Gwen blushed and pulled a chair up to the foot of the bed where she could hold Kevin's hand. Not for his sake, but for hers. She watched as Joe took Kevin's bandages off. Kevin winced where the gauze stuck pretty tight in one place over his shoulder blade and Gwen squeezed his hand. "Easy there Gwen, the pain in my hand won't take my mind of the pain on my back if that is what you were planning."

Gwen blushed again and loosened up a little on his hand. There was another extra sore spot on the back of his calf on his left leg too.

The doctor took out a sterile cloth and laid it against the back of Kevin's head to keep his hair away. Then he took a sterile roll out and unrolled it on the bed next to Kevin's waist. He was careful to use only the corners to keep the surgical instruments inside sterile. Then he used some hand sterilizer and put on sterile gloves. Pleased with his set up, he said, "Good enough for medicine in the field! You know, I studied to be a veterinarian first, but it was too hard, so I decided to be a peeeople doc." He tried to speak with an accent.

Kevin looked up at Gwen with mock fear in his eyes and squeezed her hand.

"This is going to feel cold." Joe pulled sponges soaked with sterile betadine scrub out of a plastic tube and started washing the edges of the burned areas. "Just remember to breath, like a woman in labor."

"Yuk-yuk-yuk." Kevin said. Gwen chuckled; she saw the humor in what he said.

"Ok Kevin I have to debride the area on your shoulder."

"What does that mean?"

"I'll tell you later, mostly for now, it means it is really going to hurt."

"Ok."

"I can give you a little local anesthesia if you like."

"I will be fine, just get it over with. Gwen you might want to go get a drink of water."

"No Kevin, I want to stay with you." Gwen took both of his hands in hers and leaned forward with her elbows on her knees.

"OK Kevin, here we go. Stop me if you need to."

As Joe's instruments began touching his burned skin, Kevin started breathing faster and Gwen felt his hands tightening on hers. The muscles in his arms bulged as they tightened. He was fighting to hold still.

As Joe snipped and inspected his burned flesh the look on his face remained calm and focused. He even started to whistle a little tune.

Kevin smiled at the tune and moaned through his gritted teeth soon after. It felt like he was being skinned alive! He pressed his face into the bedspread and whimpered. Gwen slid out of the chair on her knees and put her mouth next to his ear and whispered. "Kevin, do you want to stop?"

"No, I'm ok." Kevin had to let go of her hands so he wouldn't accidently crush them. He balled up wads of bedspread in his fist and tried to squeeze the lint out of them.

Gwen held Kevin's head and stroked his hair under the towel.

"Ok Kevin, just one more." Joe said happily.

Kevin screamed into the bedspread, and his ankles came up off the bed. Gwen held on to a hand full of his hair with one hand and cupped his jaw with the other. "Kevin?" she started to cry and looked at Joe like she wished his head would explode.

"I am fine, that one hurt a little." He panted. Kevin reached back out to her to find her hand and she saw his hands were shaking. "Glad that's over."

"You did great Kevin, now we gotta do the area over your calf." Joe put new cloths over and under the deepest burns on his leg. Gwen saw Kevin's eyes were open as wide as saucers.

"Hey Joe, w-what about that local anesthesia you spoke of?" Kevin panted. Gwen smiled as she wiped tears off her cheek. Ben and Julie were standing at the door looking worried. They had heard Kevin scream.

Joe said, "Everything is fine. Kevin is doing great!" as he pulled some Lidocaine into a syringe. "Ok, Kevin, just a couple of little pinches as the local anesthesia goes in around the edges."

Ben said, "Ok, we will wait elsewhere."

Ben and Julie walked down and looked in the other bedroom. Julie could see him looking at the bed like he really wanted to fall in it. "Why don't you go on in and take a nap Ben and I will take a short walk outside and commune with nature."

"Ok, but don't go too far away."

"Don't worry Dad." Julie gave him a hug and went out on the deck in the back of the cabin. Ben fell asleep right away on his stomach and there was no more screaming from Kevin to wake him up. The windows were open and Julie propped the back door open too for fresh air. Ben had the nicest breeze gently blowing across his legs.

"Hey Dr. Joe, that local anesthesia is some pretty good stuff, thanks again for fixing me up." Kevin sat up.

Gwen added, "Thanks for all of this; it is all very nice of you to let us hide out here." Joe had the dirty stuff all rolled up and put back in the 'dirty' side of the bag and headed for the door.

"No problem, I am glad I can help. You haven't got my bill yet so you may not want to thank me so much." Joe smiled. "Besides, we have to do your back and leg again tomorrow." He left to go to the kitchen so he could cook for them too. After they had their naps they could feast, he thought.

"Oh man, tomorrow too?"

"Kevin, that was hard, I hate to see you in pain." Gwen sat on the bed next to him

"Don't worry Gwen, I can take it."

"I can see that." She leaned in and gave him a kiss, she was careful not to touch his back. He touched her back and brought her in closer.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

Albedo Ben flew back to where he knew Ben Tennyson was, as Big Chill. He was very pleased with himself. He, Albedo of the Galvin, with his superior powers of intellect and reason had an easy job getting the forever nights to go along with his plan.

He had given them the location of Ben and his little band of misfits, including the latitude and longitude. He was on his way back to watch the entertainment that would begin as soon as the knight's ground and air vehicles arrived.

((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))

To be continued . . .


	5. Chapter 5 Traitor

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 5 - Traitor

By Crystalquirt

Violence, hurt and angst. The trio went to California to investigate some alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. While there Gwen and Kevin become very close and explore their feelings for each other. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

From part 4

Albedo Ben flew back to where he knew Ben Tennyson was, as Big Chill. He was very pleased with himself. He, Albedo of the Galvin, with his superior powers of intellect and reason had an easy job getting the Forever Knights to go along with his plan.

He had given them the location of Ben and his little band of misfits, including the latitude and longitude. He was on his way back to watch the entertainment that would begin as soon as the knight's ground and air vehicles arrived.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

At the Forever Knight Castle

"Sir! How do you know that wasn't Tennyson himself who came here? I think we should have taken him out right then."

"I have spoken with the real Tennyson and that was not him. This Galvin's manor is different, and the real Tennyson does not have red eyes. If you are going to advance in our ranks you need to pay more attention."

"Are you really not going to hurt Tennyson?"

"The Organization's first priority when it comes to Tennyson is to make him and his friends pay for all he has done to us and to prevent anymore heresy from them. The best way to do that is to make sure he is dead.

"It would be nice to add an Omnitrix to our arsenal or maybe several. Now that we know his location, we can surround them, and see what happens. We can take it off his cold dead body if we have too and if Albedo knows how to build the Omnitrix, we can force him to build all we want.

"We will play along with this Albedo for now."

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Ben awakened and stretched. Julie had come back from her walk and was lying on the other bed in the room, reading The Tibetan Book of the Dead. She looked over at Ben when she saw him moving around.

"Hey, sleepyhead! Are you feeling better?"

"I think so. Where is everyone?"

"Kevin and Gwen are resting. Dr. Brackett has been in the kitchen for hours. It smells like whatever he has in the oven is about ready."

"Wow, I'm starving." Ben sat up and slipped his feet back into his shoes. Julie got up and waited at the end of the bed for him. When he stood up, she gave him a hug and they walked together out to the kitchen.

He poked his head in the other bedroom door and saw Gwen was still sleeping. Kevin wasn't there. They went on to the kitchen.

"Hey Dr. Brackett, something smells wonderful!"

"Hey Ben, Julie, please call me Joe. I have some lunch ready for you. Did you rest well?"

"Very well, thanks! And thanks for lunch." Julie and Ben got plates.

Kevin smelled food and came back in from outside. He wore green scrubs, top and bottom.

"Kevin! How are you feeling?" Ben asked.

"Just great, hey Doc, er, Joe- you mentioned a plumber friend of yours helping out. Couldn't he make it?"

"Oh no, he is here, he has been here, helping to protect all of you. Ben, do you wanna go see if Gwen wants to eat?"

"Ok," Ben looked puzzled, another plumber was already there protecting them? He had seen no one else. Kevin was piling food on his plate. "Well where is this Plumber?"

Ben returned with Gwen right behind him. She had her white T-shirt on, and scrub pants that Joe had put in the ambulance for them.

"Gwen, you look rested." Joe offered.

As they got their plates, Ben asked, "I am still wondering about the other plumber, we haven't seen anyone else, who is it?"

"Here, I guess it is about time for you to meet him." Joe got up and whistled one short blast out the sliding door. They all watched as a very large grey and black dog came walking in. His stance was regal, if that is possible. He looked like a wolf but with a white muzzle and his tail and legs were mostly black.

"Wow, what a beautiful dog!" Ben said enthusiastically and put his plate down. "Can I pet him?"

"Sure, everyone, this is Plumber-Plumber, this is everyone."

"How Awesome! This is the Plumber you spoke of!" Ben was excited. He sat down next to Plumber and scratched his ears. Plumber sat down and leaned his head toward Ben to be sure he could reach.

Joe stated, "He is very good protection. He is 85% wolf and the rest is Malamute." He has already saved my life twice and he is only three years old. He never barks, or makes a sound unless there really is something to bark at."

"Wow, he is really a good dog, but what kind of trouble do you keep getting into that you need to be saved?" Joe gave Gwen a crooked smile but didn't answer her.

After they ate, with Plumber lying quietly by the door, they walked outside and Plumber followed. Joe wanted to show them Plumbers Quarter's. There was even a sign that said 'Plumbers Quarter's' over the door. The dog house was almost large enough for them all to get in, with a low roof and a heavy cover hanging over the entrance to keep the air-conditioning or heat in. Plumber's dog house had both.

Kevin and Gwen stayed outside and watched as Ben, Julie and Joe bent over a little and went inside. The Dog's sleeping surface was large and softer than any mattress and was raised just a foot to keep some of the dirt and critters off. In the back corner, there was a large hole. The flooring stopped at the edges of it.

Ben looked down in the hole and could see where it went down a ways and then it looked like it turned and went back, like a tunnel. Joe saw him looking and explained "Plumber started digging that when he was a puppy. He had started making his own Den, before I got the Doghouse even started, so I picked this location for his house, and left his 'Den' intact for him. Now rain water can't even run down in it."

"That is really cool, Plumber is one lucky dog!" Ben exclaimed as the three of them came back out from under the heavy flap covering the door.

Kevin added, "I think I am a little jealous of Plumber."

Plumber charged out of the dog house and ran past everyone standing around. He slammed on the brakes and stayed near them, barking towards the road.

"Joe, are you expecting anyone else?" Kevin asked.

"No, and it isn't anyone Plumber knows." Plumbers sharp bark turned into a low growl that was growing in intensity. An aircraft shot into view from the treetops and dropped something. From where they were standing the far corner of the cabin exploded and burst into flames.

"The Forever Knights!"

"How did they find us?"

"We gotta get out of here. Ambulance?"

"The ambulance is too big a target, we will have to fight." Ben chose Jetray and slapped the Omnitrix. "Julie, you and Joe hide. Is Plumber's Den big enough? Don't go in the tunnel in case it caves in, just hide in the hole."

"Sounds good." Joe took Julie's hand and they went back into Plumber's house. The dog house was far enough from the main house and in the trees that Ben hoped the forever nights wouldn't even see it. Gwen, Kevin, and Plumber ran out of the forest, toward the house. Ben took flight and once out of the trees could see the Knights had brought at least two air vehicles and three four wheel drive vehicles were circling around the cabin by land.

Jetray swooped back down and hovered over Kevin and Gwen's heads "They have enough vehicles for there to be about 20 of them."

"No sweat," Gwen was already shooting energy bolts in the air after one of the flying ships. Kevin looked for something to touch. He saw the Propane tank and thought 'metal' and ran for it – Gwen shouted, "Kevin! Remember GAS – BOOM! - GET away from there!" The air-speeder was coming back. Gwen resumed shooting at it, and hit the back of it, making the speeder tip in the air. The guy dropped one more bomb before the speeder itself blew up.

Gwen gasped when she saw the bomb falling towards Kevin and the GAS tank! She ran into Kevin and knocked him down just as the bomb hit the tank.

Jetray was almost startled out of the air as he was right over the unexpected explosion. He righted himself in the air and saw Gwen and Kevin lying on their backs in the smoke and flames with a pink dome over them. The three, four wheel drive trucks were clearing the trees and coming from different directions to surround the cabin. His friends were in the middle, right next to an inferno.

Ben changed into Big Chill in mid-air and sped to the fire. His breath quickly cooled the tank and he landed by Gwen and Kevin. She took down the shield and they both jumped up. Big Chill took off again and got busy covering the trucks with ice. Kevin told her, "Thanks Gwen."

Big Chill flew right through the first truck freezing it solid. The guys fell out of it shivering. He blew on the next one, freezing the doors shut, adding a thick layer of ice to the windows and headed for the next truck. The other air-speeder made another pass and dropped a bomb on the ambulance which came up off the ground when it exploded into pieces.

Albedo Ben was also still Jetray and watched from the treetops, where he couldn't be seen. "Those idiots! We had a deal! If they are not careful, they are gonna blow him up before I get the Omnitrix."

Kevin carefully touched the twisted metal from the gas tank. Big Chill had cooled it off enough to touch. As the metal covered his back, Kevin cried out and stumbled forward. It hurt as it went over the deeply burned areas in his skin.

"Kevin! What's wrong?"

"Nothing! Lets go kick some butt."

They guys that came out of the first frozen truck were advancing toward the house with their laser lances ready. Kevin and Gwen met them head-on.

Jetray was searching the skies for the other air-speeder. It flew up out of the trees and he shot at it with his the beams blasted from his eyes. The beams followed the speeder through the air as he banked left and tossed another bomb into the forest. The explosion below, left a few trees burning.

The air-speeder completed the circle and came right at Jetray with his laser lance blasting. Jetray's beams made contact and the speeder blew up right before it got to him. The blast knocked Jetray out of the air.

As he fell, he turned back into Ben. Gwen spotted Ben's limp form falling out of the sky. "Ben!" She ran out from under the trees, away from the guys she had been battling and focused her energy at him. Ben fell into her bubble like energy and she slowed his fall letting him down easy.

Kevin flattened another Knight who had come running up to him firing his laser lance. Two quick punches from Kevin's fist did the job. He saw Gwen had saved Ben and ran back to her side. The knights that she had been exchanging fire with advanced on Gwen and Kevin's position while they were temporarily distracted with Ben. One of them grabbed Kevin around his arms from behind. Gwen turned to help him, and the other guy shot at her.

She sidestepped the shot and put up a shield that caught the second shot. Plumber crashed silently out of the tree line and jumped on the shooter. The huge wolf-dog buried his teeth in the shooter's rifle arm and didn't let go, even after he dropped the gun.

Kevin pushed up and back with both legs and got the guy holding him off balance then he reached over his head and grabbed the guy by the ears to twist out of his hold. Once Kevin was free, that knight dropped too after Kevin's punch to his gut.

Another Knight stepped out from behind a tree and started shooting at Gwen and Kevin, Gwen got a shield up and deflected the blasts.

Plumber was still chewing on the first Knight, who had pulled a knife and tried to kill him. The strong, wolf-dog used his front paws and claws on the guy's face and bit his other wrist to make him drop the knife. They guy finally gave up and laid still. Plumber stopped biting and got off, but he stood right next to him and growled, just daring him to move again.

Chromastone appeared between his friends and the one guy left that was still fighting back. He blasted the guy by reflecting his own laser blasts back at him.

With no leader, and two thirds of their attacking force gone or trapped in the frozen truck, the nights from the last truck ran off back toward the highway on foot.

Chromastone turned back into Ben and joined Kevin and Gwen. He looked to the forest where Plumbers Quarters were and saw the trees were on fire! "Julie! He screamed as he ran with them right behind him.

Ben turned into Big Chill again on the run and swooped in low, blowing freezing breath on the burning pile of rubble that was once Plumbers Dog house. He made one more sweep in a circle and put the surrounding trees out.

Kevin, still covered in armor, started throwing the chunks of burned lumber to the side trying to find Julie and Joe. Ben joined him, in his human form. He and Gwen helped throw the last of it away, they weren't there. "Julie! Joe! They called, Ben ran over and laid next to the hole and looked down in to see Julie and Joe were crawling toward them out of a small tunnel.

"We crawled back in here to get away from the fire." Julie said.

Joe added excitedly, "Plumber has been busy! His Den goes a long ways back under there!"

Ben gave Julie a hug and stood with her. Kevin's armor started to dissolve and Gwen looked at him, worried as she watched his armor disappear. He gritted his teeth but controlled his need to yell, since it was not so much of a surprise when it hurt.

Joe told him, "That is some kind of amazing ability you have there Kevin. I wonder how it works."

"I don't know how it works, it just does." Kevin took a deep breath.

Joe put his hand on Kevin's shoulder indicating he wanted him to turn around. There were bloodstains soaking into his scrubs and getting larger over his back and leg. "You've don't something again to your already-damaged skin."

"The ambulance and the cabin are pretty much gone with all of the medical supplies. What can we do?"

Julie perked up, "I know, Ben can you defrost one of their trucks?" Ben turned into Swampfire and lit up as he walked over to the nearest truck.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Albedo Ben Jetray swooped down in front of the fleeing knights and landed. The knights all yelled and started to scatter, thinking it was Ben.

"Wait! It's me you morons! Albedo!" he turned back into Ben with the red eyes. He had the green contacts with him. But figured the idiots he was dealing with would need to see the difference to believe him. "Not only did you idiots try to kill him again with your bombs and uncivilized attack – you failed! They shamed you, and your 'Organization' without even breaking a sweat.

"The deal is off! I will take care of them myself. You tell your superiors to leave the Tennysons alone until I am finished with them – or I will take your Organization down too!"

Albedo Ben slapped his Omnitrix and turned into Big Chill. He lifted off and glided back toward the burning cabin. Just before he got there, he went invisible and flew silently between Julie and Joe. He dropped a piece of paper. To Julie it looked like it just appeared in mid air but she reasoned that it must have blown over from somewhere.

"Guys! Look at this!" they both looked over her shoulder as she read it out loud so Gwen could hear too.

"The forever knights are smuggling alien tech known as Ether Point Energy Cells. Most of the shipment can still be found at a warehouse by dock 15 in Santa Cruz Harbor. They used some of them to attack you today and yesterday at the beach house. Thank goodness you have survived both attempts and I will continue to help you as much as I can to ensure your survival until we can meet."

Swampfire defrosted the doors on the truck and told the guys to come out unarmed and run like their tails were on fire – because if they hesitated even for a moment, their tails WOULD be on fire.

He intensified the flames he held in his hands as they spilled out of the truck and did as they were told. Once they were all out of sight, Ben appeared again and walked back over to what looked like an intense little conversation.

"Looks like we have a friend on the inside." Gwen stated, as she handed Ben the note. After he read it he said, "Well it also looks like we are going further up the coast. Let's rent a van as soon as we come to a rental place so we don't stick out quite so much. That thing looks like a tank wearing medieval armor."

"Ben what do you think about the note, who could be on our side?" Gwen wondered.

"I think it has more chance of being a trap, than of helping us. Dr. Joe, do you want to come with us?"

"You couldn't make me stay. There is a little fire department and urgent medical care place a few miles north where we can stop so I can pick up more supplies for Kevin, and a few other things just in case. They have charged supplies to my account at the hospital before."

They all heard a low rumbling, Julie exclaimed, "they are coming back!" they all looked toward the sound, and it was Plumber still keeping guard over the enemy he took down. They guy was afraid to move or speak and just looked at them with fear in his eyes.

"Ooops," Joe said, "Come here Plumber, and YOU better run off after your friends." Plumber trotted over and sat by Joe to watch the defeated knight stumble off through the trees.

The group climbed into the knights land transport vehicle and cheered when it started right up. "Hey Tennyson, good you decided to just freeze it instead of going Humongousaur and crumpling it up like tissue paper.

Ben cracked a little smile, but was thinking about the note, and what they might be heading into. Did the forever knights have a traitor among them? He was also worried about how the knights knew to find them at the doc's cabin. Would he have let them blow up his cabin? Did they have a traitor too, traveling with them?

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

To Be Continued . . .


	6. Chapter 6 Kidnapped

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 6 - Kidnapped

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. Ben, Gwen, Kevin and Julie went to California to investigate alien tech believed to have been used in a series of crimes, and responsible for a string of unexplained explosions. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

[From part 5 – Traitors]

The group climbed into the knights land transport vehicle and cheered when it started right up. "Hey Tennyson, good thing you decided to just freeze it instead of going Humongousaur and crumpling it up like tissue paper."

Ben cracked a little smile, but was thinking about the note, and what they might be heading into. Did the Forever Knights have a traitor among them? He was also worried about how the Knights knew to find them at the doc's cabin. Would Joe have let them blow up his cabin? Did they have a traitor too, traveling with them?

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Dr. Joe Bracket pulled the Four-Wheel Drive Forever Knight Armored Assault Vehicle out of the trees and up next to the burning remains of his cabin. He really was pretty impressed with the vehicle.

"This thing is like the ultimate hummer." Joe gazed at all the switches and lights for a moment and found the passenger side window switch and opened it. He whistled, and immediately Plumber appeared in the window and landed in the passenger side seat.

Kevin had been leaning forward and saw him. "WOW Doc! – Plumber just made a six foot-straight up jump to come in the window!"

Joe reached across and patted his head, "Good Dog."

"Ben! Did you see that?" Kevin's voice snapped Ben back out of his thoughts. "Ya Kevin, it was cool . . . I guess next thing is to get the medical supplies and then trade this medieval tank in for a van."

Joe heard him as he pulled the truck out on the road, "I'm not so sure we should give this truck up! - Oh and Gwen? Is Kevin still bleeding?" Kevin heard and leaned forward to let Gwen see his back.

"It looks like the bleeding stopped."

"Can you see if you can find a first aid kit back there and clean up the burns again? Check under the benches."

Unlike the ambulance, the personnel carrier was dimly lit only by the light that came in by the tiny windows near the top. Gwen started feeling around under the benches that were placed lengthwise on either side of the truck. Soon she sat back up holding a first aid kit. "I found the first aid kit, and also about a dozen laser lances!"

"Lay back down on your stomach, Kevin."

"Cool, laser lances." Kevin said. He could hear the battle already and made exploding sounds as he got up on his elbows to pretend he was belly crawling with a rifle. "Lay still or else." Gwen threatened him.

Ben glared at the back of Joe's blond head. He seemed awfully familiar with this Forever Knight vehicle. Joe drove back down the dirt road heading for the highway. Julie scooted over on the long bench and put her arm around Ben. She could tell he was upset about something. "Don't worry Ben. With Dr. Joe's and Plumber's help I am sure we will be fine."

Ben leaned forward toward Gwen and whispered so Joe couldn't hear him. "I am concerned about how the Forever Knights found us. Only one other person knew where we were."

"Oh Ben, no way!" Kevin moved again to look at Ben and Gwen pushed him back down.

Ben argued, "You once said I was too trusting, and you were right – Michael Morningstar wound up almost killing us all-twice."

"Ya but, this is different!"

"How is it different?"

"Dr. Joe is . . . I don't know-he saved me and he wouldn't have let them blow up his house-would he?"

"He doesn't seem too broken up about it." Ben stood up and held on to the sides of the truck as he looked past Joe out the windshield. "Can I come up and sit with you?"

"Sure thing Ben! – Plumber, get in the back." Plumber obediently landed on the floor next to Ben and went in front of Julie to sit down.

"He is one well-trained dog." Ben said as he sat down in the passenger seat and put the seatbelt on. Joe was pulling out on Highway 1.

"Ya, I don't know what I would do without Plumber; I wish they would let me bring him to the hospital. Truthfully, I have brought him to the hospital before, the patients loved it, but don't tell the Head of Staff."

"Joe, I was wondering, you don't seem too upset about just having your home blown up and losing everything you owned with it."

"It's just stuff, it can be replaced, the house rebuilt, or maybe I will take this as an opportunity to move. I really love San Francisco; perhaps I will find a new home there this time."

"Wow, very accepting aren't you?" Ben almost sounded like he was accusing him of something.

"I try to be. Ben, is everything ok?"

"Ya Doc. I'm gonna go sit in the back."

Ben sat back down next to Julie. Kevin was on the other side lying on his stomach as Gwen was cleaning his back. His scrub shirt was on the floor with a large blood stain on the back. After Ben sat down, Plumber shifted his hips around until he was sitting with his head in Ben's lap. Ben stroked his fur thoughtfully.

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Joe parked the 'tankish' looking vehicle in the ambulance parking at the little urgent care center and went into the emergency entrance. With him gone, Ben shared his concerns with the others and they all disagreed with him. They all liked Joe. "Well then, how do you think the Knights found us?"

"I don't know, but it wasn't Joe." Gwen stated like it was the last that would be said. Ben decided to let it drop, for now.

They waited patiently, mostly, except for Ben fidgeting restlessly waiting for Joe to come back. It crossed his mind that he could be contacting the Forever Knights right now to tell them where they were going.

Dr. Joe finally appeared at the door carrying two large duffle bags. A pretty blond woman followed him out, also wearing a doctor's coat. Just outside the door, he put the bags on the ground and took her in his arms. They kissed passionately before she went back in, and he continued to the vehicle with the bags.

He climbed up in the back of the truck with the others "Who's the girl?" Kevin asked.

"That is Dr. Sandy Monroe, we are very close. Lay back down on your stomach." Kevin cooperated but watched what Joe was doing.

"Dr. Monroe seems to like you – a lot." Kevin smirked. Joe was digging through one of the bags.

"Ya I think she does, look, she even keeps a supply of dog food for when I stop by with Plumber!" He held up something that was packaged like sausage with a cartoon dog and the word "Gourmet" on it. Joe found the needles and syringes and took another case from the other bag that had several bottles packed on ice. He took out a white bottle and shook it up.

He checked Kevin's back and said, "Good job cleaning him up Gwen, you should think about becoming a nurse. Kevin, are you allergic to anything?"

Kevin answered "No, not that I know of." Joe waited for his answer before pulling thick, white fluid into a syringe.

Kevin saw "What is that?" Kevin started to sit up.

Dr. Joe put his hand on his lower back and pushed him back down. "Hold still-have you had Penicillin before?"

"Well, ya, I guess so."

Dr. Joe pulled the waist of Kevin's scrubs down and buried the large needle up to the hub in the muscular padding over his hip. "Ow! Hey!"

"Hold still or it'll hurt more." Penicillin is some thick stuff, needs a large needle and you need to push it in slowly. It was hard to get the piglets to hold still while we shot them up in school too."

Kevin glared at him as he went back to the front and got back in the driver's seat.

"Maybe you are right Tennyson-Joe does have a mean side."

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Joe drove right past the turn for Watsonville. Ben said, "Hey Joe, you passed it! That town was probably big enough to have a car rental place."

"Well I was thinking, we are going to a place where the Forever Knights are, don't you think we can get closer in this? If we are seen, they will think we are with them won't they?"

"Well, maybe."

The rest of the trip was boring, mostly. They argued over the vehicle some more, but Ben lost that one too. Kevin agreed with Joe and Gwen agreed with Kevin. Julie insisted on remaining neutral. Before entering the area surrounding Santa Cruz Harbor, Dr. Joe pulled over by a small city park and they all got out.

Joe sat a bowl of water down for Plumber and gave him one of the rolls of 'gourmet' dog food. Plumber ate it and went around marking a few nearby trees as his own while the humans talked.

"So what's your plan, Ben?"

"Now it's my plan? Since when are you listening . . . whatever. When we get to the warehouse, I will go Big Chill so I can fly through without being seen. Then I will come back and tell you the set up. We can figure from there the best way to rock their world. They all agreed. It was simple and sweet.

In a few minutes they all returned to the vehicle and climbed back in. Plumber jumped up in the front seat again.

Outside the warehouse was quiet when they found it. There was one other vehicle similar to what they were driving parked across the parking area on the large pier.

Joe parked on the other side of the vehicle out of anyone's sight if they were near the warehouse. They were very close to the water at the edge of the pier. Ben went Big Chill inside the truck and was invisible when he flew out and across the large parking lot between where they parked and the warehouse.

Plumber whined softly when Ben left. Joe shushed him. "Hey Plumber, you really like Ben don't you boy?" The wolf-dog wagged his tail and looked back toward the warehouse. Even though Ben went intangible and invisible, Plumber seemed to know where he was.

Once inside the warehouse, Big Chill observed that there were few Knights around. He counted only about fifteen, less than the number that attacked them at the cabin. He flew over a forklift moving down an isle loaded with boxes. Big Chill put his intangible head through the side of one of the boxes and saw they were full of the Ether Point Energy Cells and there were hundreds of boxes. The Forever Knights could be armed, well, 'forever' with all of these!

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They waited in the van for Ben to come back. Gwen nervously played with Kevin's hair and scratched his back around the edges of the tape holding the bandages on. His burns were trying to heal, and were itching like crazy. He was purring like a kitten as she scratched.

Watching them reminded Joe, "Kevin, don't armor up unless you really have to, your back will never heal if you keep tearing it up."

"No promises, but I will . . ." Kevin was distracted when he saw Ben walking toward them, as Ben. He had only been gone a minute, was that long enough? Gwen saw what Kevin was looking at. "Maybe we're in the wrong place and he found nothing."

Ben came up around the front of the truck and headed down the passenger side, nearest the edge of the pier and the water. Plumber started to growl as Ben got near the open passenger side window. The dog snarled, leapt out the window and knocked Ben down!

The others jumped out of the truck and ran around to where Plumber had Ben pinned right at the edge of the water. Ben screamed as Plumber's teeth sank into his shoulder. The dog snarled and tried to shake him like a toy.

Kevin was the first one to get there intending to get the wolf-dog off of his friend. Ben had a hold of Plumber's thick coat on both sides of his head trying to push him away.

Kevin bent over and delivered his elbow to the dogs shoulder thinking he would let go. Plumber didn't let go - he clamped down tighter and growled louder causing Ben to scream again as Joe told Plumber over and over to release him.

The dog had been so obedient before, but this time, refused even his master's command. Kevin reached his fingers in the corner of Plumber's mouth to try and pry his teeth out of Ben's skin. Ben cried out and gritted his teeth. Plumber ignored Kevin. His jaws were much more powerful than Kevin's fingers.

Gwen and Julie were standing right behind Kevin.

"Get him off of BEN!" Julie cried and shivered with her arms around her. "Why would Plumber attack Ben all of a sudden this isn't right!"

"Right or wrong that mutt is trying to kill Ben!" Gwen's pink energy formed at her hands, but she wasn't sure what to do with it at first. She set her jaw and surrounded Plumbers body with pink energy and lifted the dog slowly off of Ben but even as he felt his body going in the air, he didn't let go with his teeth. He reluctantly let go only after he started to pick Ben up off the ground with him.

After Plumber let Ben go, Gwen totally surrounded the dog and lifted him higher. Kevin kneeled by Ben and started to help him up. Julie looked around hoping no one in the warehouse had heard what was going on. Someone was running toward them . . . BEN was running toward them!

"Ben?"

"What's going on?" Gwen and Kevin looked in the same direction as Julie was looking. Joe was standing under the pink bubble floating in the air with his beloved dog in it.

The Ben on the ground by Kevin slapped his Omnitrix and turned into Jetray. The energy generated from the transformation blasted Kevin away from him. Gwen's concentration was broken and Plumber landed snarling and charged Jetray just as he took off. All Plumber caught was air in his teeth as Jetray shot off the pier and into the water.

The real Ben got to them, as Albedo Ben Jetray streaked away underwater. "What is going on! I could hear you guys! It's good it's so noisy in the warehouse and there aren't many Knights around."

"Ben! Albedo was here! He showed up at the truck and Plumber attacked him." Ben looked shocked and just stared at them in disbelief.

"Shouldn't you go after him?" Kevin asked.

"He doesn't have to, unfortunately Albedo will be back, and we need to focus on the original mission." Gwen instructed.

Julie was petting Plumber, "What a good boy, you knew that wasn't our Ben didn't you?"

She stood up and gave their real Ben a hug and in fact, hugged the stuffing out of him. He smiled and hugged her back but was distracted, "I don't believe it. Albedo escaped! . . . and how did he sneak up on you guys without you seeing that he wasn't me?" he asked, still holding Julie close.

"He has dyed his hair, and even his eyes are green again." Gwen defended. "But I didn't realize until know that he was wearing Ben's green sweater, the one he lost in the beach house fire. Albedo must have dyed that too. His version of Ben's sweater was red the last time we saw him."

Joe looked confused. He had not heard of Albedo, and wondered what was going on. "Is this some sort of evil twin thing going on?"

"Ya, kinda." Gwen said quietly.

"Well, this complicates things." Kevin added.

Ben took charge again. "No it doesn't, we go ahead with the plan. There are not that many Knights in there. Gwen, Kevin and I will have no trouble taking them out. After we eliminate the threat of the energy cells and the Forever Knights, then we will go after Albedo."

"I only saw one guy walking around in there with a weapon, I will go Big Chill to distract them, since he can't be shot if intangible, and if you armor up – you can take him out without risk while me and Gwen round up the rest of them."

Gwen interrupted, "No Ben, do you think you can do it without Kevin?"

Kevin argued, "Gwen, I'm not letting you two go alone."

"What?" now Ben was confused.

"Dr. Joe doesn't want Kevin armoring up if he can help it."

"Oh, that's fine, I am sure you and I can do it. Kevin, you can sit this one out."

"Not gonna happen!" Kevin protested.

Joe added, "Kevin, Julie and I can all back you two up. There are laser lances stored under the seats in the vehicle. How good a shot are you Kevin?"

Kevin smiled and replied, "I do ok."

They pressed themselves flat against the truck as another vehicle drove up and stopped over by the warehouse. Only one guy got out and went in. Ben changed back into Big Chill and went intangible before he flew back to the warehouse. He let himself appear long enough to get their attention as he froze a forklift.

The knights dropped what they were doing and yelled "Intruder!" and scrambled. Big Chill's distraction gave the others a chance to run over and surround the warehouse. Plumber stayed by Joe. Gwen and Julie went to the front and back doors to block them if they tried to run and Kevin, Joe and Plumber went in with Big Chill.

All of the unarmed workers gave up without much effort. The armed Knight shot at them a few times but gave up fast when Kevin confronted him and took his gun away. The Knights were rounded up and put in the back of the vehicle parked closest to the warehouse. Once they were packed in like sardines, Big Chill froze the doors shut.

Gwen walked the short distance from the warehouse doors to the van that Big Chill was freezing. "That's everyone, the place is empty. So what do we do with all the Ether Point Energy Cells?"

"I know what I want to do with them." They all looked at Kevin as he put his hands up and said "Boom!" the vision made him smile.

"Well, that would keep them out of circulation. As long as we are sure the area is clear." Ben turned back into his human form and looked among his team. "Where is Julie?"

Julie couldn't see much from where Gwen had positioned her. She had her laser lance ready to blast someone, but no one ever came to the corner of the warehouse where she waited in the shadows next to the door. Now it had gotten very quiet. So she started to walk around the building back to the loading bay where the others probably were.

Ben met her at the corner, "We were looking for you. Is everything ok?" Ben walked up to her and gave her a hug with one arm, his other behind his back.

Julie replied, "I am fine, is it over? . . . and what are you hiding behind your back, Ben?"

"Sure is over, it is really over for you! Here is a present."

Julie gasped as Ben pressed a really-bad smelling cloth over her face and pushed her down. He sat on her until the drug took effect. She struggled, but it was only a few seconds before she went limp and closed her eyes. Albedo Ben tucked a piece of paper under the laser lance that she had dropped. He stood up and stepped a short distance away from her. He laughed as he slapped the Omnitrix.

Albedo Jetray appeared and grabbed hold of Julie's arm and leg to lift and carry her away. His claws dug into her skin, drawing blood as she came up off the ground.

Ben, followed by Gwen, jogged around the corner of the building looking for Julie.

"Look there's the laser lance she carried." Ben ran up to it and found a note when he picked it up. He picked up the note too and looked at it.

"NO!" He screamed. His hands were shaking when he handed Gwen the note before falling to his knees. "Julie." He cried in a small voice.

Joe and Kevin heard Ben cry out and ran around the building. Gwen told them that Albedo had kidnapped Julie and handed the note to Kevin before bending down by Ben to help him up. When he leaned forward to stand, Ben looked down and saw three small drops of blood on the concrete.

"He HURT her!" Ben growled and slammed his fists on his thighs.

"We will get her back, Ben – Kevin!" Gwen got his attention so she could hand him the laser lance. She got Ben to stand and walked with him back to the vehicle.

Joe drove the vehicle with the defeated Knights in it as far away from the warehouse as they could get in the parking lot and then met the others at the truck they were driving.

Gwen and Joe waited with Ben in the truck while Kevin went to do his thing. "How could I let this happen? It's all my fault . . . Julie . . ." it sounded like Ben hiccupped as he buried his face in his hands.

Gwen moved and sat by Ben. "It's not your fault, we can blame Albedo Ben, or the Forever Knights – but none of this is your fault. You are going to save Julie and everything will be fine!"

Ben appreciated her words but didn't believe them. He let himself fall over on his side and turned to face the wall as a huge explosion rocked the truck. Even that didn't make Ben look up. Joe climbed back into the driver's seat and started the engine.

Gwen jumped out the back doors and watched Kevin walk back to them. The explosions and fire behind him framed his well-built, shirtless form nicely. Even the scrub pants he wore covered him nicely. I didn't know scrubs could look so good! Gwen scolded herself for becoming distracted after she caught herself staring at him.

Gwen blushed as Kevin took her hand and helped her up in the truck before he told Joe to go on. They wanted to avoid any of the official investigation. Let the Knights they left in the frozen truck try to explain what happened.

Kevin stated, "Well, that part is done. Let's look at this again." He pulled out the note that they had found.

"You will pay for all you have done to me or your girlfriend will. To save her life you better be at the Forever Knight Castle near Santa Barbara by this evening at dusk. Be ready to surrender your Omnitrix. She will suffer until we get this business finished; you better hope she can last until tonight. Come alone and be in your human form when I see you or she will die on the spot."

Kevin's voice got a little louder as he read the last part. Joe heard too, as he got on the freeway to go back to Santa Barbara. "Crap, it's about two-hundred and sixty miles and it will take a little more than four hours to get there in normal traffic, and it will be rush hour soon." Joe stomped on the accelerator harder.

Gwen looked at her watch it was already nearly four o'clock. "We aren't going to make it by dusk!"

Ben rolled back over and sat up to face the others. "I will make it." He wiped his eyes and ran his fingers through his hair to get it off his face.

"NO! Ben, you can't go alone!" Gwen stated.

"Albedo wants me to come alone anyway." He got up and stood as far back from the others as he could so they wouldn't be in the way of the energy as he transformed.

"Ben wait!" Kevin stood up and stepped right up to him in one stride.

"I have to do this . . . get back."

"No." Kevin said plainly.

"Gwen, you better make him get back! I have to save Julie before . . ." Ben gritted his teeth as tears welled up in his eyes.

"Ben no." Please don't go!" Gwen was standing by Kevin too now.

Ben turned away from them and raised his arms preparing to slap the Omnitrix anyway. But in these close quarters, they were sure to get knocked around, and maybe hurt and he just couldn't do it. Tears ran down his cheeks as Kevin guided him by his shoulders to make him sit back down. Ben didn't argue anymore.

"Gwen come look at the map and tell me the shortest way possible to get to Santa Barbara." She got up and waited a moment for Plumber to get out of the seat then she put the seatbelt on and picked up the Forever Knight's Map from the dashboard. They had even circled the location of their castle.

Ben was watching Kevin. In a moment, Kevin's eyes left Ben and he was staring at Gwen in the front seat. He is so predictable, Ben thought. Ben leaned forward and pulled one of Joe's medical bags over in front of him.

Kevin was just staring at Gwen and smiling. Ben picked up the bag and threw it in Kevin's lap! Surprised, Kevin couldn't get over to him in time. Ben jumped to the back and slapped the Omnitrix. He became Big Chill before Kevin grabbed him.

Big Chill went intangible and slipped through Kevin's grip as Gwen watched from the front seat. "Tell me you didn't just let him do that! Didn't you realize he would be just looking for his first chance?"

"No, I thought he was going to behave himself and let us help him."

"Ben thinks he has to go alone."

Kevin said, "Alone? Not a chance." under his breath. Did you guy's find a route that would take less than four hours?" he didn't like the answer much.

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Julie came to and found herself hanging from bound hands in some sort of narrow cage. The cage was suspended only about a foot above the stone floor. The room looked just like a dungeon from an old Robin Hood movie. She would have thought it kinda neat if she wasn't terrified. Her long-sleeved pink hoodie was gone, but she still wore her dark blue shirt and white skirt.

She looked up to try and see how her hands were fastened. There were metal cuffs about a half an inch wide around her wrists and they were attached to a chain that was welded to the cage over her head. The cage was suspended by a large chain that went all the way up to a very tall ceiling.

Julie struggled, panicking when she realized how small the cage was. The bars were shaped vaguely like a human form and there wasn't even enough room to pick her foot up more than a few inches before her knee touched metal.

The panic passed and she experienced a moment of happiness when she looked up and saw Ben walking towards her. Then she remembered what he had done to her the last time she saw him.

"YOU-AREN'T-BEN!" she yelled at him. The yelling hurt her head a little and she pressed her temple against her arm. Albedo Ben walked right up to her and she could see his eyes were red. In the firelight from the torches on the walls they were glowing red.

Albedo Ben was very satisfied with his capture and had gone back to the nights hoping they could handle this simple capture-trade thing since he had done all the preliminary work.

The Forever King went along with his plan again or at least pretended too. He liked the idea of Ben coming to his castle and surrendering himself. The King had some tests he wanted to perform on Ben and his friends before Albedo could have them. He also thought it would be a good thing to have an Omnitrix or two.

Albedo got close and looked into Julie's frightened eyes. "I promised Ben that you would suffer until he got here and to that end, this is Steel." A very large Forever Knight stepped out of the shadows behind her. She turned and gasped when she saw the scary-looking bearded man. "Steel is in charge of your 'suffering' until someone comes to stop him."

Albedo turned and walked away without another word. Julie screamed as Steel spun the cage around very fast. After it had gone around a few times, she bounced off the bars when he caught it so that she was facing him.

"Please don't hurt me." She whimpered and made him laugh out loud.

"'Hurt' doesn't come close to describing what I have planned for you." He walked a couple of steps over to a fire burning in a low fireplace and picked up what looked like a fireplace tool.

As he walked to her she could see it was a branding iron! He held it up so she could see it. It was flat and round at the end, about an inch and a half across with a raised infinity symbol on it . . . and it was red-hot. "Of course we don't have to totally stick to a plan, you are such a sweet thing, we may spontaneously come up with some other ways to play."

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Big Chill changed into Jetray as soon as he got high enough over the coast to not be seen. He looked like nothing more than a streak of pollution as he ripped through the California skies.

The castle wasn't hard to spot from the air and Ben turned back into Big Chill as he got closer. He would get there early and prayed the whole time he could get to Julie before anything could happen to her.

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Julie screamed and struggled as Steel reached through the bars with his hand and grabbed the bottom edge of her skirt. He lifted it up a little before pressing the hot iron to the soft skin over her thigh, near the hem in her underwear.

The cage shook as she jerked inside it to try and get away. Steel held her pinned against the back bars. It was only a moment, but long enough to leave a deep burn reflecting the infinity symbol in her skin. The burn left her feeling like she would faint.

Julie's screams turned into whimpering. She was breathing hard and panted as she pleaded with Steel again. "P-Please stop this . . ."

"Oh no, that was way too much fun to stop now." But even though he said that, he walked back over and put the iron back in the fire. Her slight relief was short lived when he came back, his hands were empty.

Once again he reached in between the bars with his hand. He grabbed the front of her shirt at the collar and yanked, causing her to scream as her shirt tore down the front. Julie screamed for Ben, and then just screamed.

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Big Chill had not met any resistance or even any other Forever Knights and found himself deep inside the castle. He had remained intangible as he searched the halls looking for any sign of activity or where they might be holding Julie. He hoped Albedo would be dumb enough to think he couldn't have gotten there yet.

Big Chill just passed a row of armors standing like they were on guard in a hallway when he heard Julie screaming. He shot through the floor in the direction of her cries. Big Chill wound up in another hallway in front of a large door. "She's in there! –Julie?" Big Chill spoke softly and hissed even when yelling.

Even in his intangible form, a force shield at the door blasted him back. He became tangible again and hit the wall across the hall. Big Chill's wings crumpled around him as he fell and turned back into human Ben. He got up to look for another way in. Julie screamed again and he, without thinking screamed her name. So much for the element of surprise, he thought.

"Fine if I can't go through the door. . ." He left the Omnitrix set for Big Chill and slapped it.

"I will go through the floor." He went intangible and sank down through the floor below, then made a turn to come up under the room where he had heard Julie screaming. The shield zapped him again, changing him back into Ben before he hit the floor.

Ben screamed in anger and slapped the Omnitrix again. But it just clicked, and nothing happened- no transformation.

"How am I going to get to her now?" He looked both ways before exiting the room where he had wound up, expecting to see Forever Knights and Albedo at any moment. They had to have heard him by now. Seeing no one he ran down the hall looking for stairs to get back to where it sounded like Julie was being tortured.

As he ran and thoughts about what was happening to Julie to make her scream ran through his mind, his eyes welled up with tears and his hands started shaking as he slapped the Omnitrix again and again trying to get it to activate.

He got back upstairs and in front of the stubborn door. Julie was no longer screaming as loudly but he could still here her whimpering. Ben was long past just being upset, and without thinking stepped right up to the door and screamed at whoever might hear him to "STOP it – leave her alone!"

Ben fell against the door with tears running down his face, and noticed that it had not zapped him again. He tried the Omnitrix and got nothing so he searched the door and the wall on each side looking for a way to open it. There were no handles or anything to grab, nothing to release, except maybe on the left side, there was a hole in the stone wall. It had been built on purpose, was edged with stones shaped to fit in a circle and was just big enough to put his arm in.

It was up a little above his shoulder so he stood on his tip toes to see in. Ben could see all the way through and into the room behind the door. A fire burned and a shadow of a large man was moving around inside. He had to have heard Ben yelling, but was apparently busy with something else. Ben clenched his teeth at the thought of what they guy could be busy with.

His eyes focused and he saw some sort of lever poking out from the side of the hole, almost through to the other side of the thick, three foot thick walls. Ben stayed up on his toes to try and reach it with his left arm, the one with the Omnitrix. This has got to release the door, he thought as his fingers wrapped around it.

Ben gave it a good yank and felt it give. There was a sound of rocks sliding against each other as he felt the sides of the hole quickly close on his arm. He tried to pull his arm out but the wall already had him. The pressure increased on his arm until it started to hurt. He panicked when he realized he couldn't get his arm out and made small noises that sounded like a small, trapped animal.

Fear took over and he used his legs to try to exert enough force to pull his arm out, but it only caused him to cry out as he felt a sharp pain in his elbow and arm like he popped a tendon. His arm was stuck almost up to his shoulder and he could barely reach the floor. Ben kicked and hit the wall with his free hand as he called Julie's name.

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To be continued. . .


	7. Chapter 7 Castle

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 7 - Castle

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. Kevin & Gwen, still in California must rescue Ben and Julie from the Forever Knight Castle and Albedo's clutches. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

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From Part 6-Kidnapped

There was a sound of rocks sliding against each other as Ben felt the sides of the hole quickly close on his arm. He tried to pull his arm out but the wall already had him. The pressure increased on his arm until it started to hurt. He panicked when he realized he couldn't get his arm out and made small noises that sounded like a small, trapped animal.

Fear took over and he used his legs to try to exert enough force to pull his arm out, but it only caused him to cry out as he felt a sharp pain in his elbow and arm like he popped a tendon. His arm was stuck almost up to his shoulder and he could barely reach the floor. Ben kicked and hit the wall with his free hand as he called Julie's name.

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Laughing echoed around Ben as he struggled to pull his arm from the wall. Ben looked back to see Albedo and four Knights standing behind him.

"Look at the mess you are in Ben Tennyson, like the monkey who got his arm stuck in a jar of candy . . . did I get that earth story right? . . . No matter."

Albedo stepped forward and knocked on the door. "Open up for another guest."

Steel opened the door and came out. One of the other Knights went in. Julie looked as though she may faint any minute, but forced herself to gaze at the door, too afraid of what she might see to look away. She was pretty sure she had heard Ben's voice. They can't catch Ben! No, he won't give up . . . he can't hand himself over to them for me! She strained to see what was going on.

Out in the passageway Albedo greeted Steel like he was bored, "Ben, meet Steel. Steel, this is Ben. Steel has been showing your girlfriend a good time while we waited for you."

"NO! Julie!" Ben struggled as Steel grabbed him by his free arm. The Knight that had gone in released the mechanism, freeing Ben's arm from the inside. Ben struggled harder as he felt his arm being released. He got it out of the hole, but Steel pushed him with his belly to firmly pin him face first against the wall. Steel caught his arm quickly preventing him from even trying to activate the Omnitrix then he lifted him off the ground by his wrists.

This huge man's impossibly big hands were not letting go and Ben's kicking got no reaction. Steel flipped Ben around and Ben wound up facing him and his arms crossed in front of his chest in a bear hug. His twisted arm hurt and he cried out in pain, but Steel ignored him.

Ben yelled and threatened him with bodily harm. Even to him, his voice sounded like it had when he was a kid he was so scared. He felt his feet come up off the floor as Steel walked him into the dungeon with the other's following. Steel's body odor alone threatened to make Ben pass out.

Ben struggled with renewed vigor when he saw Julie. Her short black hair had fallen forward and covered her eyes, and her chin rested on her chest like she had passed out. Her shirt was torn down the front showing her bra. He saw that she was covered with bruises and small cuts. Ben cried her name and she looked up at him as they took him past her. "No Ben-you shouldn't have come." She said weakly.

"Julie! What . . . ! Julie! What have you done to her?" Ben screamed. Steel shoved him with his back against a tilted table and held him in place with one hand pressing in his sternum. It was a tilted wooden surgical-type table with panels that could be adjusted and lots of hinges, gears and ties to get victims in just the right position.

Two Knights chained Ben's arms straight out to the sides and around the table's metal frame while Steel held him to the table so tightly he could barely breath.

Albedo stepped up next to the table. "If you choose not to tell me how to get the Omnitrix off, a nice 'clean' amputation of your arm is an option. Once the Omnitrix sensors tell it that it is attached to the dead flesh of your arm, it will release. I would just kill you, but I have promised the Forever King would keep you alive so he could punish you for whatever you did to them. NOW-Tell me how to get the Omnitrix off your wrist."

"I will NEVER give the Omnitrix to you!"

When Julie heard Ben yell, she stirred and the chains rattled. Ben looked over at her. Ben's voice cracked, "Curse You! What did you do to her? Let her GO right NOW!" The nights lowered the table so Ben was almost flat and had to pick his head up to see them. He couldn't see Julie anymore around Albedo, who stood in the way.

"You are in no position to make demands of any kind." Albedo stepped up to the edge of the table and tested the chains that bound Ben's arms to the table frame. Not satisfied, he reached under the edge and tightened a gear a couple more clicks, until Ben cried out from his arms being stretched to the max – it felt like his bones were coming apart at the joints.

"Albedo! Ease up on the chains!" Ben gritted his teeth and kicked trying to prevent a Knight from chaining his last free leg down. A lucky kick pushed the Knight way from his legs. Albedo punched Ben in the ribs. Ben cried out in pain and frustration as his leg was chained anyway.

Julie shook the cage turning around so she could see what they were doing to him. "Ben! Please, just let them have it-don't let them hurt you!"

"Dumb girl, it is not a matter of him letting me have it any more-he is helpless and has no more say in the matter. I will take it, and I will still 'hurt' him." Albedo patted Ben's Omnitrix like it was a puppy's head. "I will finally get my own body back, and get my revenge for what you have done to me!"

"I have done nothing to you-you are responsible for everything that has happened to you –not me! If you had only listened to Azmuth . . . AhNNN!" Albedo leaned in and grabbed Ben's throat with both hands like he was going to choke him.

Ben gasped and breathlessly said, "I will d-die before I would just give it too you!" Albedo pressed his thumbs under Ben's chin making him put his head back as he gasped for air.

Julie couldn't stand it. "Ben! Please! Stop it! Get your hands off of him," the cage and chains rattled as she struggled and yelled. "The King wants him alive doesn't he?" She was desperate to get Albedo to let go of Ben.

Albedo finally let go and left him coughing. Every cough strained his stretched limbs. His chest heaved as he tried to catch his breath. Albedo turned to face Julie.

"He will die. It is just a matter of whether it will be at my hands or the Forever King's. You, girl can 'hang out' for as long as you last, but you will die too, just for being his friend."

Julie looked away as Albedo's words were sinking in. Ben repeated it in disbelief, "You want to kill Julie, just because she's my friend?" Albedo's attention went back to Ben and without another word, began adjusting the wooden panels in the table.

First he dropped the wooden plank out from under Ben's left arm so that his arm was suspended in mid-air. Not only would it keep Ben from having a flat surface to activate the Omnitrix on, it would give him more room for the equipment used in the 'procedure' to remove it. Then he re-adjusted the joints in the frame to get it out of the way without changing the position of Ben's arm.

Ben wasn't paying attention to what Albedo was doing near him, he was watching Julie. He could clearly see the bruises and cuts on her arms, legs and even her stomach. "Please let her go!" Ben begged in a small voice and struggled weakly against his restraints. "She can't suffer just because she . . ."

Albedo ignored Ben but added, ". . . and don't think I am dumb enough to not have prepared for your friends to arrive. We will know the second they get here to try and rescue you. The Forever King wants his scientists to take them apart too, to find out what makes them tick.

"You will have to excuse me for a moment, keep an eye on them. I will be right back." The Knights standing around Ben nodded, one saluted the rest just looked at him and poked fun at him after Albedo left. Steel was the only one who moved back over toward Julie.

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"We have made pretty good time. The castle should be very close if the map is correct." Joe reported.

"We are very close, Ben is near." Gwen's eyes were glowing pink as she searched for Ben. Kevin picked up the scrub shirt he had been wearing and looked a little grossed out when he examined the bloodstain. At least it was dried. It was getting darker and colder so he put it back on.

They had been on a dirt road now for miles. The large tires on the vehicle kicked up huge clouds of dust as Joe sped along. Over a hill and through some trees they caught a glimpse of a large, castle-like structure's roof ahead and he slowed way down to pull off the road and behind some trees. They were still about two miles away following the road, a little closer as the 'crow flies' so they could see the layout pretty well.

To keep from being seen they used cover of the trees and brush to get over to the end of a row of seven parked cars and trucks that belonged to the Knights. At the other end of the row was the drawbridge. "If the number of vehicles reflects how many Knights are here, then it should be a pretty easy fight."

Kevin pointed out the dark side, "I hope so, but many of them live here and don't own cars and don't forget Albedo is here. How would we stop Ben if he was attacking us? Albedo can do everything Ben can."

"It will be hard I suppose. We need to worry about Albedo more than the Knights no matter how many there are."

They stooped low to move behind the cars without being seen just in case anyone was watching from the castle. "There is no sign of any activity at all." Gwen observed.

Joe offered a spark of hope. "Maybe the battle is over and Ben won?"

Kevin shot it down too. "If Ben had won, he would have met us with Julie by now. He must be in trouble."

"Thanks for all the hope Kevin." Gwen said as she concentrated on finding Ben in the castle. "Ben is inside, below ground level and about as far away from the entrance as you can get. He has stayed in one place, so he is probably not battling. Julie is near him."

Kevin walked in between the cars, going back and forth until he found a blue one near the bridge that was unlocked and had the keys in it. Kevin thought, it doesn't have much power, but it will have to do if we need it."

Joe had brought one of his smaller duffle bags that was stuffed full. "You must not have much hope of us getting though this without injury."

"Oh this isn't full of medical supplies." He unzipped it revealing a very large number of the small energy cells that the Forever Knights used as bombs. "I grabbed a few from the warehouse before Kevin blew it up." he said as he put them in his pockets.

Kevin grinned, "A man after my own heart! I didn't know you were so devious. We should talk about -um–stuff when we are through here. Two guys with our skills could really profit . . ."

"Ahem" Gwen interrupted. "Let's get Ben and Julie out first." She handed each of them a laser lance.

Gwen and Kevin charged ahead quietly and quickly hoping to at least make it across the bridge without trouble. Joe ran a little behind them with the duffle bag and his laser lance.

"So far so good." Gwen led the way across a large area that had more Forever Knight vehicles parked along the walls. There were land vehicles like the one Joe had been driving and air speeders among them.

They crossed the area quietly and went down a passage. They got about half-way to where the passageway turned before a dozen Knights appeared behind them and started shooting. Kevin and Gwen hit the deck and so did Joe, but not before he threw one of the energy cells back at them. On the energy cell's first impact with the stone floor it exploded and threw the Knights back.

"Gee – these really are sensitive!" Joe cracked a little crooked smile as they got up and ran deeper into the castle. Joe's explosions shook the castle as they went.

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Ben heard Julie weakly crying and begging for Steel to leave her alone. He looked over, past the Knights that stood around him and saw Steel back over by Julie. "Please No! No more! Leave her alone!"

Steel's hand started between the bars, Julie squealed and cried. Ben started yelling and fighting his restraints. "Can't even one of you morons see how wrong this is? HELP HER!"

"We think not." The nearest Knight said as he turned to watch.

"I understand why you would want to kill me, but Julie has never done anything to you. Albedo is crazy!"

"You are right. We DO want to kill you. Hey guys, why wait for Albedo? He doesn't even have a rank in the Organization." The Knight pulled his dagger from its sheath.

"My blade can take his arm off for our King. Should I do it slowly, or fast, with one cut?" Two of the others chuckled and said "Slowly." Ben looked frantically into each of their faces for any sign of remorse or kindness, but found none.

Steel sat down on the hearth near Julie to watch the antics of his fellow Knights, but Julie was not happy he was leaving her alone. She stared at Ben thinking she would rather them torment her and leave him alone.

Julie pleaded with them at first, and then threatened them as they prepared for their little operation. Steel reached over and spun her cage again making her close her eyes and scream.

The Knight with the dagger moved to Ben's side, facing his arm. Ben's looked from him to Julie as he heard her scream. The Knight stood, leaning nonchalantly against the table near Ben's ribs and examined his arm looking for visible arteries.

Ben noticed how 'exposed' his arm suddenly felt and pulled against his restraints as the Knight methodically put the blade, point up against his forearm. Satisfied with the placement for the first cut, the knight leaned forward a little and looked right into Ben's terrified eyes.

The Knight spoke softly, with his face so close to Ben's he could smell his awful breath. "Let's do a little scientific observation here. I heard once that when an artery is cut, the eyes dilate. I want to see if yours do."

As the blade cut into his skin, Ben screamed and squeezed his eyes shut - depriving the Knight of making his 'scientific observation' even if it was unplanned. Ben arched his back and tried to twist away as the knight pulled it slowly downward.

The cage had slowed down. Julie watched Ben continue to thrash and scream as the Knight put the knife back up a little higher above the first cut and started slowly pulling down again. She squeezed her eyes shut and begged them to stop while sobbing hysterically.

Albedo appeared in the doorway; rolling a large device he called a laser cutter into the room. It looked vaguely like a jigsaw. He cursed loudly when he saw the Knights starting without him. The Knight stopped and put his knife away without wiping the blood off. Ben stopped struggling, but his eyes stayed shut as he gritted his teeth and gasped in pain.

"What are you uncouth morons doing! Humans are so infuriatingly brutal and messy-you are all savages. Well now. If he bleeds to death before your Forever King gets to play with him, it is no fault of mine. This laser cutter that I had brought here from my ship would have cauterized the wound at the same time it took his arm off and made a much cleaner cut. . .no blood, no mess."

Julie looked over at Ben and saw a steady stream of blood dripping from his arm. It had already formed a small puddle on the stone floor. "Ben." She cried. He opened his eyes and looked over at her past his bloody arm. His eyes left Julie and he looked at his wound and tried weakly, to pull his arm out of the restraint with no luck. His chest was heaving as his breaths were coming very fast. His wet, green eyes closed again as he wished he could just pass out.

Albedo pushed his laser cutter over and lined it up so it would take Ben's arm off closer to the Omnitrix. He chose the site on his arm on purpose. This way the wound caused by the Knight would continue to bleed even after Albedo took the rest of his arm and the Omnitrix. He giggled when he realized that he would ultimately be the one to have caused the death of Ben Tennyson by letting him bleed to death.

Ben could feel that Albedo was close to him again and opened his eyes. Tears ran into his hair at his temples when he blinked trying to focus on him.

Albedo looked at his frightened 'twin' and smiled as he stepped on the pedal to turn the cutter on. He rolled the machine closer to Ben's arm and made sure the laser beam was lined up to cut right next to the Omnitrix. Ben screamed and thrashed as much as the chains would let him. He tightly closed his eyes and turned his head away, not wanting to see his arm being cut off.

Abruptly, the castle shook with an explosion. Albedo startled and stepped off the pedal. The cutter went off just before it began cutting Ben's arm.

Albedo knew right away the commotion had been caused by Ben's friends and commanded the Knights, including Steel to go make sure his first force captured them. The Knights, saluted, half-heartedly and left the room. An avid collector, Steel went first to a cabinet full of his antique and vintage guns and rifles. He poked several handguns in his belt and took a rifle in each hand before following the other Knights into battle. One gun in his hand was a German made semi-automatic.

Albedo turned back to his task but could still hear continuing laser fire and explosions. "They sound closer. I better go help those savage morons." Albedo turned off the cutter and slapped his Omnitrix. He turned into Spidermonkey before running after the Knights.

They were alone now. Ben looked over at Julie. She had her chin resting on her chest. He called her name softly but she didn't look up. "Julie. . . I'm so sorry-please say something."

His whole body trembled as he put his head back and closed his eyes. "You have to be alright-please!" The dribble of blood from his arm slowed to a fast drip as his heart rate slowed down a little.

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Joe was getting his laser lance ready, out of sight behind a corner. Gwen and Kevin were the first to come face to face with Spidermonkey.

Gwen smiled, "Ben!"

"No GWEN, that's . . ." Kevin cautioned her too late.

Albedo Spidermonkey produced a web that bound Gwen's arms and legs instantly and she gasped and fell forward. He shot another at Kevin who dodged most of it, but it got it on his arm preventing him from shooting. Albedo Spidermonkey jumped on him and knocked him on his burned back.

"Ow!" While Kevin cringed in pain, Albedo Spidermonkey landed over him and punched him in the face twice before leaping off.

Gwen shot pink energy from her eyes to burn the web off, but it was taking too long. She was relieved when she saw Kevin get up, but he only got hit from behind, first with web, then with Spidermonkey's four feet. The blows all landed on Kevin's burns and he yelled as he fell forward with his arms pinned to his sides with webbing.

Joe heard yelling and peeked around the corner. He couldn't throw an energy module in such close quarters so he did the only thing he could think of to try and save them. He ran around the corner yelling and wildly shooting the laser lance. Albedo Spidermonkey didn't even duck the shots he fired as he dropped Joe with a bundle of web.

With all three of Ben's rescuers down, another who was quite unexpected, shot a barrage of diamond shards over Kevin and Gwen, striking Albedo Spidermonkey several times, he squealed and turned into Big Chill before going down through the floor.

Gwen rolled over and looked where the shards came from. "Tetrax!"

"Who?" Kevin pushed himself up on his knees before looking. Joe was wrapped up like a fly and couldn't even roll over. Tetrax surfed over to them on his hoverboard and with his diamond hand, cut the web off of Kevin first and then Joe. Kevin got Gwen out of the webs that bound her and gave her a hug. "Are you ok?"

"Thanks Kevin, I am fine."

Tetrax helped Joe get up, "Hello Gwen. Looks like you guys had everything under control, but I thought I would jump in anyway." Joe stared at the large crystalline alien, not sure if he should be scared, but he seemed to know Gwen.

"Well thanks Tetrax, I'm glad you did–we are in trouble here! Ben and another of our team are missing, and are being held here! Albedo. . ."

"I know about Albedo-he is why I am here. Azmuth sent me as soon as he found out Albedo escaped. Azmuth knew Albedo would come to find Ben first. I tracked Ben's Omnitrix signal here.

"Come on, Ben and Julie are this way – and Albedo too." Gwen's eyes were glowing as she ran down the passageway.

Kevin repeated, "What? Who?" as he followed Gwen, but getting no answer, gave up figuring there would be time for introductions later.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Gwen led them up within sight of the doorway where she could feel Ben, she also thought she sensed his mana felt weaker, even though they were very close - but wasn't sure why. They are just inside that open doorway.

Kevin stepped in front of Gwen and pressed himself flat against the wall before peeking through the door. With just one quick look he knew the layout. "They have Julie in some sort of cage, not too far from the door. Ben is tied to a table in the far corner. Albedo is in there as Swampfire, and is standing in front of him. Ben will be in the line of fire if we go in shooting."

Tetrax stepped up and whispered, "I will go in and take care of Albedo, you get to the others and get them out. Don't look back-am I counting on you to get Ben and the Omnitrix safely out of here no matter what." Joe handed Tetrax a couple of energy modules before he charged in.

"Albedo-STOP!" Tetrax shouted.

Albedo spun towards him and in a panic flung his laser cuter toward him. It rolled, bouncing violently on the uneven stone floor and fell over without even making it to Tetrax. He leapt at Albedo Swampfire and grabbed him by the arms. Albedo fired up his hands and shot flames at Tetrax, which he ignored and flipped Albedo Swampfire over his head away from Ben and toward the door.

Ben couldn't believe his eyes, Tetrax? They hadn't seen him in a long time. He had given up his struggles against the chains and just turned his head to gaze at Julie when Albedo showed up again. He thought he was dreaming when he saw Tetrax fighting with Albedo.

Tetrax jumped at Albedo and planted his feet in his chest, sending him through the doorway and back out in the passageway. Tetrax followed him out as Kevin, Gwen and Joe ran in.

Joe saw Julie was closest to the door and ran up to her first. He stuck his hand through the bars and felt for her pulse. He felt a strong pulse and backed off a little to try and see how to get her out of the cage. Julie opened her eyes and looked at him while she pulled a little at her shackles. "Joe?" Julie looked around and saw Gwen and Kevin too and smiled.

Gwen and Kevin ran to Ben. They were both horrified to see what had been going on. The blood dripping from his arm had made a large puddle on the floor and he looked like he was in bad shape. "Ben! Oh no!" Ben saw them but thought they were a dream too at first. When he felt them unchaining him, and the pain that followed his movements, he was pretty sure they were real.

"Help Julie, she's . . . they were . . . Aaahrr." Ben cried out as he moved his legs causing pain to shoot through his body. After Kevin got his legs free, he went to the other side of the table to get his other arm freed.

Gwen gently loosened the chain holding his injured arm and got the shackle off of his wrist, but continued to hold his arm gently in the same place. Even the slightest movement made Ben cry out in pain. "Joe! Ben's hurt!"

In spite of his painful arm and joints from being stretched out, Ben was already trying to get up to go to Julie. "No Ben, don't move around yet."

"But Julie!"

"Hold still, we will get you both out of here." Gwen gently held him down with her hand.

"Can you go Swampfire and let him heal you?"

Gwen still held his injured arm trying to keep it still until Joe came over. Ben reached over slowly to dial the Omnitrix without moving his arm any more than he had too. He winced as he slapped it, more gently than usual but it wouldn't activate.

"I received a shock from some sort of force shield, and it changed me back twice. It wouldn't activate after that, or they never would have captured me." Ben felt no need to tell her he put his arm into some sort of trap too.

Gwen helped him sit up before tearing a strip off from around the bottom of her white t-shirt, turning it into a belly shirt. Ben felt dizzy and sat quietly while she wrapped the strip of white material snuggly around his wound and pressed her hand over it to try and get the bleeding to stop while the guys got Julie down.

Joe looked over and saw the large puddle where Ben had been bleeding and frowned. He already had the cage that held Julie open, but needed a key to get her arms down. Kevin absorbed just enough of the iron from the bars to cover his arms to his shoulders. The rusty iron chain above her hands snapped like pieces of plastic between Kevin's fingers.

Her arms, still shackled together at the wrist were at least free from the cage and she crumpled into Joe's arms. He stood her up and supported her as she moaned and looked at him. Joe waited for Kevin to help her stay on her feet before turning to go to Ben, but Gwen had lost the argument about him staying still. Ben was already coming toward them while holding his arm tightly against his side.

Ben took Julie from Kevin and hugged her with one arm. His injured arm hung limply at his side, while blood soaked into the wrap Gwen put over the cut. He put his hand behind Julie's head and pulled her forehead into his neck. Tears ran down his cheeks and into her hair. "I'm ok Ben." She whispered.

"I'm so sorry . . . sorry!" He felt her put her hands up to his chest under their embrace and felt the shackles against his chest. He pulled back a little to see and gasped. "No! Get these off of her! Get them off!" his voice cracked and she could feel his whole body shaking as he held her tightly to him.

"Ben! It's ok – I am ok." Julie looked right into his eyes to try and convince him.

Kevin stepped over and she held her hands out to him. He pinched the metal shackles causing each one to fall off her wrists. She weakly put them around Ben's neck and hugged him back.

"Let's get out of here!" Gwen broke them up, and they moved to the door. Kevin checked the hall first and led the way.

The battle between Tetrax and Albedo had moved into the large entrance way just before the drawbridge. Most of the Knight's vehicles has already been destroyed or buried in debris. Albedo was Chromastone now and more evenly matched to fighting with Tetrax. With both aliens being nearly indestructible they had done more damage to the castle than to each other.

It took Kevin and Joe working together to get Julie over a pile of rubble safely. She tried weakly to help, but couldn't even stand on her own. Ben made it over alone, with Gwen climbing nearby.

As they went quickly past the battle a dozen Knights tried to stop them but were quickly thrown aside by Gwen's energy bolts. Ben glanced over at the battle to see Albedo turning into Echo Echo and immediately began his sonic scream. The sonic waves threatened to shatter Tetrax's whole body and he went to his knees.

Ben slapped his Omnitrix and it finally worked! He turned into Jetray and shot in an arch toward Albedo Echo Echo ramming into him from the side. The sonic scream stopped as he was knocked out the rear castle entrance and fell over a short brick wall into the water below.

Jetray had a little trouble stopping in time with an injured wing, and slammed into the wall. When Ben hit the floor he was back in his human form, he moaned and held his injured arm back to his side before trying to get up. Tetrax was there, and helped him stand.

"Thanks Ben-But GO! You and the others have to get out of here. I will finish this."

Ben staggered weakly back toward the others while holding his arm against his stomach. Gwen ran forward to meet him and was hurrying him along when another dozen Forever Knights rounded the corner and came out of the passageway. Gwen aimed her energy bolt above them and brought down another huge pile of stone temporarily blocking their path.

She guided Ben back to the others and they continued jogging and walking quickly toward the drawbridge and the waiting blue car that Kevin had found on their way in. Joe was planning to drive the truck they came in, will all their supplies in it as soon as he could get to it.

The first Knight that made it over the rubble that Gwen brought down, was Steel. He had his automatic in one hand and a handgun in the other and started shooting with both as soon as Joe, carrying Julie came into his line of sight. The first bullet ricocheted off the heavy chain that supported the drawbridge right next to Joe.

Kevin heard the shots and looked back "Old fashioned earth tech, but still very effective!" The other Knights appeared and started shooting their laser lances at them as well.

Kevin moved over to run behind Gwen, in hopes of protecting her from the bullets and lasers flying around them. She was herding Ben, who ran weakly a little ahead of her. A shot ricocheted off the rock wall by his head and made him duck. They got across the bridge and almost to the car.

Gwen slowed a little and let Joe pass her with Julie and shot energy back at the Knights. Ben was almost to the car. Kevin stayed with Gwen and she put up a shield before returning some more of their fire. Her shield was shattered by the semi-automatic and they turned to run too.

Ben clumsily slide over the trunk and fell off on the other side, but was able to climb into the back seat on the passenger side on his own. Joe placed Julie next to Ben before he got in behind her.

The three in the back ducked down as shots hit the car and shattered the back window. They watched as Kevin and Gwen ran toward them. They were running so fast, Gwen almost slid into the driver's door, but Kevin grabbed her and reached around her to open it. He put his hand on her head to cover it as she got in and slid over to the passenger seat.

Kevin silently gritted his teeth and tightly shut his eyes as he paused for a moment while getting in.

"Kevin?" She was concerned but didn't see what happened.

"I banged my knee! Everything's fine." He had the car started almost before he landed in the driver's seat and they sped away in a cloud of dust.

"Julie?" Ben cupped her face in his hand and looked into her face. She opened her eyes "Ben?" he wrapped his arms around her shoulders and leaned her against him. Joe checked her over quickly and took her pulse and respirations.

"Is she?" Ben was trying not to cry as tears ran down his cheeks.

"I think she will be fine physically. We'll take a closer look when we get out of this. Joe said, "Strap her in-and take care of your arm!" as he readied himself to jump out when they got to the truck.

[[[[[[[[[[Ben 10 AF]]]]]]]]]]

The guy shooting and his friends were temporarily delayed by Tetrax's battle with Albedo. Albedo Echo Echo had become Jetray underwater and flew around to the front of the castle to try to sneak up on Tetrax. He shot rays from his eyes at him, and Tetrax returned with a wave of diamond shards that missed and flew at the Knights, taking down three of them. The rest got down and rolled out of the way, including Steel.

Albedo turned back into Chromastone and fired back at Tetrax. It knocked part of the wall down on him. Tetrax burst out of the pile of rubble and charged Chromastone firing diamond shards that just bounced off of Chromastone.

Albedo Chromastone turned in a flash back into Echo Echo and screamed again. Tetrax was caught in the sonic waves, and felt his body coming apart again. In a desperate attempt to save himself, he dove backwards off the castle wall and into the water below. Echo Echo ran forward and continued to point his sonic scream in the water where Tetrax fell.

With the fierce fighting out of the way and apparently over, the Knights ran across the drawbridge and jumped into two cars. Tires screeched as they pulled out onto the dirt road to chase down Ben and his friends.

Tetrax shot out of the water on his hoverboard and searched the castle for Albedo. He incapacitated any Knights that got in his way as he went.

[[[[[[[[[[Ben 10 AF]]]]]]]]]]

Kevin slammed on the brakes where they left the truck and just before the car came to a stop, Joe jumped out and landed running. Kevin took off again. Joe ran into the trees and got in the truck. Plumber crashed out from under the trees nearby with a dead squirrel and jumped back in the truck through the window. "Hi Plumber, keep the squirrel guts off the seat would ya." Plumber got down on the floor in the back with his dinner.

Joe waited a moment and two cars full of Knights shot past him. He stomped it and pulled out behind them intending to catch up.

Gwen leaned over the back seat to see if she could help Julie or Ben at all. "Ben, how is she?"

Ben's hand was shaking as he tried to get the seatbelt around her and fastened. His other arm was draped limply over her shoulder and blood dripped from his soaked bandage. It looked like Julie had passed out.

"I don't know . . . this is my fault! Julie . . . they were doing. . .AArgh" he said in frustration as he dropped the end of the seatbelt.

"Ben, again, this–none of this-is your fault." Gwen tried to comfort him.

Ben wasn't listening. ". . . Terrible things . . . Julie was screaming . . . I couldn't . . .!" Ben was sobbing now and couldn't see through his tears to do anything, even find the seatbelt again.

"Ben! Pay attention! Get her legs up on the seat-make her as comfortable as possible and get the seatbelt around her."

Ben tried again to pull himself together and follow Gwen's instructions. As Kevin sped down the dirt road taking the curves at impossible speeds, the car bounced violently sometimes. Gwen gasped when she saw how much his arm was still bleeding when he reached for Julie's legs.

"Kevin, try to keep it on the road for a minute – I gotta get in the back and help."

"No promises." He answered as he blinked sweat out of his eyes and downshifted to get up a hill.

Gwen climbed in the back and helped Ben get Julie positioned and strapped in. She was leaning against his chest. Ben was getting too weak to even speak clearly and Gwen thought he would soon pass out from all the blood he lost. She reached under him and put the seatbelt tight and low around his hips.

"Ben, stay with us! – take care of Julie! Julie needs you!" Gwen patted his cheek and gave his shoulder a squeeze.

Ben heard Gwen and pulled Julie tighter, pressing the top of her head into his neck. She moaned and opened her eyes. Leaning forward a little she turned and looked up at him. "Ben, what's going on?"

Gwen answered before Ben could, "We escaped the castle and Kevin's trying to keep us ahead of the bad guys who want to shoot us among other things. Ben has lost a lot of blood and is getting weaker."

"No, Ben?" Julie looked up into his eyes and he tried to smile. "I am ok-I am just so glad we got you out of there. I'm sorry."

Gwen interrupted him, "Julie, take over, keep pressure on his arm, we gotta get the bleeding to stop."

Gwen waited for a large bump to get behind them before stepping over the seat. She quickly sat back down and strapped back in just before the car bottomed out after another bump.

Julie winced as she sat up from her many injuries, and found he had bled on her shirt too. "Oh Ben, maybe you should lie down." She wrapped her hands around his bloody bandage to try and hold it off.

He refused to lie down, even as he was struggling to keep his eyes open.

Gwen was watching Kevin. He had said nothing and kept wiping his eyes with the back of his hand. Kevin was sweating, and when he reached over to shift again Gwen saw his hands were trembling.

She asked, "Kevin, what is wrong?"

"Nothing I'm fine." Gwen leaned over and touched his forehead, he tried to pull his head away without taking his eyes off the road.

"You're cold and sweaty – there's something wrong!"

"I'm FINE, just hang on!" the rear wheels slide out to the side and off the road as he rounded the next turn. Somehow he kept it from spinning or rolling and straightened it out through the next dip in the road. Gwen looked back and could barely see glimpses of at least two cars chasing them. "I don't see Joe yet! I hope he's back there."

Gwen continued to watch Kevin. His eyes close and head fall forward for a moment. "Kevin!" He looked back up and knew he had been caught- "You're right ok? I don't think I can drive much farther."

Ben and Julie heard him and looked up. Gwen reached over and felt his cold clammy skin again. "Tell me what is wrong Kevin." He gritted his teeth as they went over another bump before telling her.

"Bullet, back of left leg."

"No! Kevin! Why didn't you say something?" With that, Kevin's head fell forward and his hands fell limply off of the gearshift and steering wheel. Gwen unfastened her seatbelt and grabbed for the wheel.

Julie and Ben both gasped and Julie called Kevin's name as the car went off into a grassy clearing. Gwen picked Kevin's leg up off the accelerator and used a pink lash of energy to press on the brake. The car did a one-eighty before stopping in a cloud of dust.

Gwen looked at Kevin, and then shot a look at Ben and Julie. "Get Ben down. There's gonna be some more shooting." She unfastened Kevin's seatbelt and pulled him down sideways on the seat.

Gwen got out knowing they couldn't run, and prepared to protect them alone until the end.

The vehicles carrying the Knights slid to a stop at the edge of the clearing in front of them as Gwen put a shield up around the front of the car. The first Knights got out and started shooting from behind the open doors of their cars. As Gwen's shields shattered over and over, bullets and energy beams struck the car, so hard and fast it rocked on its wheels.

The last Knights out headed for the trunk of one car and took out a very large gun. They put it up on the roof of the car, preparing to fire it like a cannon.

Gwen returned their fire, making them stay where they were and knocking one down here and there. When she saw the big gun on the roof of the car, she stepped out to use both hands and sent a heavy lash of energy to turn the car with the big gun over. The guys scrambled to get out of the way and she picked them off with fast individual shots.

The Knights in the other car, including Steel were still shooting and when her shield was shattered again she got back down behind the car door and gasped to catch her breath.

The last Forever Knight vehicle to come into sight, driven by Joe, he laid on the horn and the accelerator and headed straight for the Knight's car that was still on its wheels. The horn alerted them, and they all jumped out of the way where Gwen could pick them off. Joe slammed into their car mashing it flat with the large all-terrain tires on the truck.

Joe pulled in a circle and stopped by his friends. Gwen leaned on the door and panted trying to catch her breath. Joe opened the back of the truck and got out one of the bags he had with medical supplies.

Julie took off her seatbelt and Ben's and was trying to wake Ben. As Joe came over, Gwen panted, "Ben looks bad, and Kevin's been shot."

"What? Shot! When did that happen?" Dr. Joe ran to Kevin first.

Kevin was still leaning over in the seat where Gwen had pulled him down out of the line of fire. Joe could see he had been sitting in a puddle of blood under his thigh. He sat him up and took his pulse before he started to pull him out of the car, "Gwen can you help me get him in the truck?"

She put a lash of pink energy under and around him and levitated him into the truck. Dr. Joe grabbed a wad of sterile gauze and followed. Gwen placed him on his stomach on the bench. Joe ripped the leg of Kevin's scrub pants over the wound and pressed down with the gauze.

"Here Gwen-keep pressure on it, I will be right back."

He got back and saw Julie wasn't having any luck waking Ben. "Julie, do you think you can walk to the truck, I will bring Ben." She nodded and let him help her stand. He ran around to the other side and put his hand under Ben's legs and behind his back to lift him out of the car. Ben was almost as tall as he, but much lighter. Julie steadied herself on Joe's shoulder as she walked with him to the truck.

Gwen ducked and scooted over as Joe got in with Ben and put him on his back on the other bench. He reached back down and helped Julie up. She kneeled down in front of the bench by Ben's head and stroked his hair as Dr. Joe got out an IV set and bag.

Plumber got out of the front seat and walked quietly over to Julie. He rooted his nose under her hand so she would pet him. She scratched his ears while she thoughtfully stroked Ben's hair.

Joe put the IV setup together and hung it from a handle above their heads. He gave Ben's uninjured arm a quick scrub and set the catheter for the IV. He taped it quickly in place and started a fast drip even before taking his blood pressure. Julie saw Dr. Joe looking worried as he applied gauze and tape to make a pressure bandage for Ben's arm.

Gwen pressed down on Kevin's thigh as instructed and it looked like the bleeding had stopped. She found his hand with her other hand and held it tight. She leaned forward over him and rested with her forehead on his back, exhausted herself. Kevin moaned and tried to move. "No Kevin-hold still." She said as she sat back up.

"Gwen! What happened? –Ow!" he tried to get his leg out from under her hand as she kept pressing on his leg.

"Hold still Kevin, you were bleeding – don't make it start again." As he put his head back down she reached up and touched his cheek. "Try to relax. The Knights aren't chasing us anymore-at least for now."

Joe turned around to check Kevin next, "Ben's blood pressure is a little low." He said out loud hoping to not to scare the others.

"Gwen can you look around outside and make sure no one else is paying us a visit. We will get out of here as soon as I get Kevin ready to travel." She reluctantly agreed, not wanting to leave Kevin, or Ben for that matter.

Joe scolded Kevin since he was awake. "Kevin, you should have told us when you got shot! We could have changed the plan."

"No way doc, we had to do it this way – we got away didn't we?"

"Well so far, but it didn't do you any good to bleed into the seat all this time." Dr. Joe pulled Kevin's arm out to the side and set an IV just like he did for Ben.

"Are Ben and Julie Ok?" Kevin raised up a little to see Ben.

"They will be."

Gwen came back in and said she couldn't see or sense anyone near them. She had watched while two of the stunned Knights woke up and ran off into the trees. She didn't see Steel was awake and hiding behind the overturned car.

"Julie? Are you doing ok?" Joe stopped to take her blood pressure and heart rate too.

"I am fine." was all she said.

Joe got up and went to the front. He started the engine and told Gwen to keep her eye on the others.

Steel stood up when he heard the truck's engine start and opened fire with the automatic and a six shooter. Joe ducked and Gwen and Julie screamed as bullets ricocheted off the sides of the truck. Plumber snarled and the small windows in the back shattered and blew broken glass over them. Julie quickly covered Ben's eyes.

Joe stomped on the gas and made the huge truck spin out as he took off away from Steel.

Once there was a little distance between them and Steel, Gwen examined the bandage that Dr. Joe covered Kevin's leg with before she turned to Julie.

"Julie, are you sure you are ok? It was rough being alone with those nights and what they did to you wasn't it? And then seeing what they did to Ben. I don't think I would be ok."

"I-I didn't . . ." Julie began to cry and couldn't answer her. Gwen hung on to the wall while getting up while the truck travelled from the dirt road and back onto the pavement. She felt Joe accelerating. Gwen sat on the floor next to her and Plumber gave her a hug. Julie kept her hand tangled in Ben's hair, not wanting to let him go as she leaned on Gwen and cried harder.

"Is everything ok?" Joe called back.

"Ya, as ok as it can be." Gwen answered as she looked back over at Kevin. He had turned his head and watched the girls, looking very concerned.

Between sobs Julie managed to say, "Why did he risk his life, and even the Omnitrix to save me? He shouldn't have come, especially not alone." She covered her eyes and waded the front of Ben's shirt tightly in her other hand.

"Because Ben loves you. Albedo made some very scary threats, and Ben was determined to save you as soon as he could. Traveling by ground, we wouldn't have made it to you by Albedo's deadline, so Ben went alien and flew to you."

Julie wiped her eyes and looked up at her. Gwen frowned at Kevin when she saw him trying to roll over. Julie saw him too. "Go on Gwen,"

"Kevin, stop-you will pull out your IV."

Joe looked back, and saw Gwen getting up. It looked like she had his patients all under control.

After they had put miles behind them, with no sign of pursuers, Joe pulled into a truck stop. He went to the fuel pumps first and slid down to fill it up. He called back up and told Gwen to slow the boys IV drips down by about half.

Kevin had turned over to lie on his back. Gwen found emergency blankets and rolled one up to put it under his head. She handed the other one to Julie for Ben and held Kevin's hand in with both of hers. He looked at her as she bent forward, "You saved all of us you know? Thank-you."

"Awe, it was nothing, but I am pretty tough huh? Even without using my power to absorb stuff."

"Yes-you are, very 'tough'!" She bent down and kissed him. He put his hand behind her head and held her close.

As Julie lifted Ben's head to slide the folded blanket under, Ben moaned and opened his eyes. Julie got up and sat on the edge of the bench next to him to look at him. Gwen and Kevin looked over happy to see Ben wake up.

The first thing he saw was Julie's smiling face as she looked at him and his tears ran into his hair as she leaned over and kissed him. Her lips pressed against his, and he couldn't help but close his eyes and kiss her back. She broke the kiss and he saw tears in her eyes too. "I thought I was going to lose you, Ben!"

"Guess you aren't that lucky. I'm so sorry Julie! I never thought you would suffer so, because of me and this stupid watch." Ben turned his head away, unable to look at her face.

"Ben? I did not suffer because of you – you saved me, even though you were captured too, if you had not gotten there when you did, they might have killed me sooner."

Joe got back in the truck and pulled it all the way in the back of the lot in-between two refrigerated Semis to park. They were pretty well hidden back there, except maybe from the air.

First he checked the boys IVs and sat down next to Ben to take his blood pressure again. "You are looking better Ben. How are you feeling?

Ben hesitated, "Ok I guess, better. I am worried that Tetrax has not caught up with us yet. You don't think Albedo could have beaten him do you?"

"No way Ben, he probably just can't find us. We are pretty well hidden now."

"He can track the Omnitrix. He would have no trouble finding us, if he is able to look." Ben sounded so down, he didn't even sound like Ben.

Dr. Joe had been examining Kevin. "You look pretty good, but we've got to get the bullet out."

"How far is it back to the hospital?"

"We can't go back there – they found us there once already, and probably know Joe is on staff and they may be watching for us to go there for help."

"It is miles farther, but we could go to the Urgent Care Center where your girlfriend works."

Kevin thought a moment. "How come you can't just take it out here? Looks like you have all the stuff doc."

"Well, it's not very sterile, I have no real anesthesia . . ." Joe was thinking out loud. "It would be much better to do it in a real surgical atmosphere with staff to assist."

"Gwen can assist." Gwen glared at Kevin, but waited to see what Joe said.

"I will leave it up to you Kevin. Do you want me to do it right here?"

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To be continued . . .


	8. Chapter 8MASH

Ben 10 Alien Force

Homecoming 8 – M.A.S.H.

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. Kevin & Gwen with help, rescued Ben and Julie from the Forever Knight Castle and Albedo's clutches. Kevin got hurt again, and no one else is in good shape either. They fought off the Knights that pursued them, and have to get back to civilization for help. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

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From part 7 - Castle

Kevin thought a moment. "How come you can't just take it out here? Looks like you have all the stuff doc."

"Well, it's not very sterile, I have no real anesthesia . . ." Joe was thinking out loud. "It would be much better to do it in a real surgical atmosphere. I will leave it up to you Kevin. Do you want me to do it right here?"

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Dr. Joe continued "Without x-rays I will just have to dig around in your tissue until I find the bullet. A local anesthetic like Lidocaine is not going to take care of all of the pain especially if it is deep. Local anesthesia is all we have with us.

"I grabbed two sterile emergency procedure packs, but I never thought I would be using them for something as serious as this. I have gloves and several more sterile towels, and surgical scrub. We have enough here to remove it I guess."

Gwen really didn't like where this conversation was heading, "No Kevin . . . can't we just go to a different hospital? There will be one in Santa Barbara."

Kevin argued, "No . . . no hospital, they might not let Dr. Joe do it, and I don't want to take a chance on anyone finding out who we are again."

"Ok kids, I guess we're going to have our own M.A.S.H. Unit here."

"Our own what?"

"M.A.S.H. You know, Mobile Army Surgical Hospital. We can't be more mobile, we have our own little army and we're fighting an army. Kevin needs surgery to get a hunk of lead out of his leg."

Gwen smiled a little. "Ben, you've been awfully quiet, do you think they should do this?"

"I don't know. You guys shouldn't listen to me anyway. All I do is get you hurt. We haven't even heard again from Tetrax. Albedo might have killed him too- to protect me."

"Ben?" Julie touched his shoulder, concerned as Ben sat up and held his head. She finished tying the ends of her shirt together in the front so the material at least covered her bra and then put her arm around his shoulders.

Without really thinking about it she had her other hand pressing just above the edge of her skirt. The deep burn from the branding iron still stung and hurt and she held her hand against it. Ben saw and realized Julie was in pain. "What's wrong? Lemme see."

"Oh, it's not a big deal Ben." She leaned back a little and lifted up the edge of her skirt so he could see it. It was really the first time she saw it too. "Oh that looks worse than I thought. It's all red around it. Maybe Joe has something to put on it."

Ben gasped, "Julie!" he poised his fingers over it like he would touch it, but didn't. "No!" he realized a circle with an infinity symbol in it was burned into Julie's soft skin."

"They branded you!" he pulled her to him and hugged her. "I will never forgive them, or myself." Tears welled up in his eyes as he finally got the courage to ask. "Did they do anything else? Are you hurt anywhere else? Did they . . . touch you?"

She knew what he was asking. Gwen and Kevin were concerned too and listened quietly.

"No. He was going to, Steel I mean, Albedo thinks touching a human is disgusting. Steel tore my shirt, but then they brought you in and I guess he got distracted. I was really scared and upset at first but I am ok, thanks to you and Gwen, Kevin and Joe.

Ben spoke quietly through gritted teeth. "Albedo and the Knights hurt you just because you are my friend. You, Gwen and Kevin- my parents even – anyone who I am close to could suffer because of this stupid watch. But I can't get rid of it, I have to use it to try and stop the Highbreed invasion. I don't wanna let Grandpa Max down." Ben had started gesturing when he spoke with his good arm, the one with the IV.

Joe saw him, "Ben-be careful that you don't pull out the IV. I want to get the rest of that bag in you at least. You lost a lot of blood; you could really use a transfusion."

"I am fine, please take good care of everyone." Ben looked back at the door.

Joe, excited like a little kid, turned his attention back to preparing for surgery. He was pretty sure it was going to be very cool. He would have to make up a good story to cover the real, 'who' and 'why' – but he was already planning on telling everyone he knew.

Joe looked up and scratched his chin. "One thing, I will need very good light. I bet the truck stop will have something. Truckers need good lighting to get things done that they get stuck doing at night. I'm going, when I get back we will begin." Joe jumped off the back of the truck and jogged to the store.

Gwen was holding Kevin's hand and felt him shiver when Joe said 'begin'. "Doesn't he sound a little too eager?"

"Don't complain now-this was your idea." Gwen gave his hand a squeeze and looked over to see what Ben was doing.

Julie had stood up and she heard her tell him, "Ben, stop that." He was digging at the tape holding the IV in.

"It itches! Rotten-Stupid . . . I can't . . ." all at once he yanked it out and threw it aside so the end dripped on the floor.

"Ben!"

"Ben!"

Gwen and Julie yelled as Ben got up and jumped out of the back of the truck. Kevin rolled so he could see what was going on. Ben stumbled and almost went to his knees when he landed, but managed to run between two trucks and quickly went out of sight.

Julie got up and turned on her phone before putting it in her pocket. "I will go after him, stay here Gwen, Joe is going to need you to help with Kevin when he gets back." She jumped down and started looking down the rows of trucks. With everyone leaving, Plumber came and stood at the back of the truck looking out and whining softly. Gwen watched the beautiful dog and held Kevin's hand.

It seemed Joe had lost half of his patients when he came back. He saw Ben's IV bag had emptied onto the floor in a puddle. "What happened?"

"Ben was so upset he ran off. He is blaming himself for everything."

". . . and Julie has a burn you maybe should look at." Kevin added. ". . . but she went off after Ben."

"Should we go after them?"

"I don't think so. Let's take care of Kevin first. Julie has her phone. She will call if she can't find him." Gwen cut the rest of the leg off the scrubs so the material wouldn't get it the way while Dr. Joe put up the lights he bought above the bench.

"Ok Kevin, back on your stomach." The Doctor ordered.

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Ben got very dizzy, very soon and stopped beside a flatbed trailer and held on to keep from falling. He held his arms out preparing to slap the Omnitrix and saw a trickle of blood from where he had yanked the IV out.

The weakness he felt forced him to go to his knees. While he waited for the dizziness to pass he heard a noise, and a door slam. A truck driver climbed down out of his truck and walked towards him. In the dark it seemed he didn't see Ben as he unzipped his pants and peed on a tire.

"Ew! That is just gross." Ben whispered and got to his feet, but stayed low so he could go under the trailer to the other side. As he moved along between the next trucks, he staggered again and leaned on a truck's fender.

Julie saw him and ran over. "Ben? Why did you run off? You are in no condition to be wandering around out here alone." As if to prove her right Ben went to his knees again. She kneeled in front of him.

"I just need to rest a minute. I'm fine. I am going to kick Albedo's butt." Ben got up and walked passed her.

"Wait Ben!"

"No! I have to go find out what happened to Tetrax!"

"Ben! What are you doing out here? I told you to be safe and take care of yourself." Tetrax floated over them on his hoverboard and dropped down to land in front of Ben.

"Tetrax! You're ok!"

"Yes, but Albedo got away. He went Echo Echo again after you left and I lost track of him, I've been searching for him but have not had any luck. I thought it best to come and help protect you. I don't think he is finished with you."

"Ya? Well I'm not finished with him either." In Ben's current condition, he didn't sound very threatening.

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Gwen helped Kevin lie back down on his stomach and put a rolled up towel for him to rest his head on. Dr. Joe soaked sponges with scrub and cleaned around the wound very well. The scrub solution burned as Joe scrubbed closer to the hole.

Then he draped the sterile towels above and below and got ready to give Kevin as much local as he thought he safely could. He gave him several shots around the bullet hole. They pinched a little, but it was ok.

"Kevin, it will take a few minutes for the area to start to feel numb. Just one thing, even if you feel something, it is important that you hold still."

"No promises." Kevin smiled. Gwen smoothed his hair back out of his eyes.

"Gwen I want you to stay on this side, by his legs-you will need to hold his legs down. She moved to where Joe told her, worried about having to hold Kevin down. They washed their hands, splashed alcohol over them and dried with sterile towels before putting on surgical gloves.

Dr. Joe had a pack of sterile instruments and gauze opened behind him on the other bench. He arranged it and put the blade on the scalpel handle. "Ok Kevin-hang on."

Kevin literally hung on to the edges of the bench as he felt Dr. Joe start to poke around. It was ok at first, but then it started to pinch and then it burned. Gwen saw Kevin tense up. "Kevin, are you ok?" she asked.

"Fine Gwen, go for it Doc!"

Joe ran his finger down in the wound feeling for anything hard that shouldn't be there.

At the truck stop, it would be a chilly night so a lot of the drivers left their trucks running with the heaters on. Other trucks stayed running all the time to keep the refrigeration working to keep their loads cold. There were trucks running on both sides of their 'M.A.S.H' unit.

The running diesel truck engines and refrigeration units helped a lot to cover Kevin's screams. He tried to hold still, but had never felt such pain! When his leg kicked and started off of the bench, Gwen tried to hold him down by lying across his legs, but he lifted her light frame up too-so she wrapped an energy lash around his calves to hold him down.

"There! I feel it! It's right against the bone. Sorry Kev-hang on." Kevin bowed his shoulders and hung on tightly to the bench. "Doc! I don't think I can . . .! Arrrrgh!" he yelled and started panting. Plumber sneaked over and licked Kevin's face.

"Get back Plumber, no dogs in surgery."

Dr. Joe ran a hemostat into the wound along his fingers, and felt the jaws clamp onto the bullet. Kevin screamed and went limp. He had passed out. "Kevin?" Gwen called to him and dissolved the energy she had holding his legs still.

"Don't worry Gwen, he will be fine-at least he won't feel the rest of it. I can stitch him closed more carefully. She handed him more dry sponges as he pulled the bullet out and packed off the wound to soak up the blood.

Julie and Ben with Tetrax got back to the vehicle. Julie poked her head it and told them Ben was ok. "How is Kevin?"

"Joe says he is fine." Gwen said it sounding worried. Julie hoped he really was alright as she reported back to Ben and Tetrax what was going on inside. Tetrax said he would see them later.

"But where are you going?"

"Don't worry, I will be close by."

Ben and Julie sat back on the bumper waiting to go in until Joe was finished with Kevin. They didn't want to contaminate anything. Ben leaned his head back against the door panel. "Are you feeling ok Ben?" she saw that blood some sort of goo from his wound had soaked through the bandage again.

"I'm feeling just perfect."

"Ben I am worried that you seem so down on yourself–I love you, I certainly don't blame you for anything, and the others don't either."

"I feel lucky you are here. But it is my fault you were in danger-we are still in danger. I love you too and I don't want anything to happen to you because of me." Ben looked at the ground. Julie found his hand and held it.

Joe stuck his head out the back. "We are finished in here. Come on in and see the clothes I bought you."

"Clothes? Wow thanks!"

"I also bought you showers if you want to go in and take them. There wasn't a line last I checked. Ben, just try to keep your bandage from getting soaked. I will change it and look you over again when you get back, Julie you too."

"Gwen, I will stay with Kevin so you can go too. There's lots of food in there."

Julie said "I bet they have chili fries Ben!" he smiled at her.

"When you all get back we should probably try to get some sleep. I got us some sleeping bags too, they are in the front."

"Thanks Doc!"

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After they showered and ate, they returned with food for Kevin. He was awake and starving.

Ben, Gwen and Julie had t-shirts and sweatpants on that were free of blood! Joe had even bought them hoodies for when it was colder. Kevin's blue and grey clothes were rolled up on the end of the bench and he used them for a pillow.

Joe changed Ben's bandage and scolded him for pulling out his IV. He didn't put in another but made him promise to eat and drink like he told him to.

Kevin put on his new clothes and limped over to the restroom with Ben along. When they came out, they sat on benches outside with Gwen.

Joe made them stay away while he put a dressing on Julie's burned thigh and talked to her. She promised she had told 'her doctor' everything that had happened so he could be sure she was really ok. They had spoken for almost an hour when Joe put his head out and called the others to come in.

Julie and Gwen slept on the floor between the benches where the boys rested. Joe went across the way with his sleeping bag and slept under a tree with Plumber.

Kevin tossed and turned in his sleep at first and every time he moved his leg pain woke him up. He lay quietly for a while and stared at Gwen while she slept. He finally got relaxed enough to sleep.

Even from where Joe was he could hear faint screams over the noises of the running trucks all around their truck. He came up quickly out of his sleeping bag and ran to the truck with Plumber right behind him.

"No Dad! PLEASE!" Kevin was screaming and thrashing in his sleep. Gwen was holding his shoulders and trying to talk to him, as he yelled, "Help! Dad-STOP!"

Ben and Julie stayed out of the way as Joe moved in beside Gwen just as Kevin swung his arm and knocked her away. Joe held him down harder and yelled "Kevin wake up." as he shook his shoulders.

Kevin opened his eyes and stopped screaming. He was breathing very fast as he looked at everyone looking back at him. "Sorry guys." Now he was embarrassed.

"It's ok Kevin. What were you dreaming about?" Ben asked.

"I don't remember." He lied. Gwen got up and sat next to him to hold his hand. She suspected she knew what he had dreamt about.

Ben spoke to Kevin mostly, "Well, since we're all awake. I am thinking we should get out of here. We destroyed the smuggled alien tech that we came for."

"It's ok with me, but what about Albedo?"

"I think if Albedo can't find us, he will go back to Bellwood. He could be there already and I am worried about my parents. It will take us days to get back. What about it Joe? Are you coming with us?"

"Sure plumber and I have nowhere else to go. I still have patients here that may need me. I can take a leave from the hospital. Dr. Monroe can take all my patients and cover for me for longer."

"What about my ride? We gotta go back to the hospital long enough to get my car!"

"Are you well enough to drive it?"

"Of course, I drove with the bullet in my leg, I can certainly drive now."

"Alright, going back to the hospital first will give me a chance to get some more supplies before I tell them I am taking leave."

"Wish we could tell Tetrax we are going."

"Don't worry Tetrax said he would be close. I don't think we could lose him if we wanted too."

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They put stuff away and get everything ready to travel again. Kevin stretched out on the bench, but gave Gwen room to sit by him. She sat so he had his head on her lap. Ben and Julie sat quietly on the other side holding hands. Plumber was up front.

When Joe pulled out of the truck stop and back out on the road, he didn't see the car that had been waiting by the fuel pumps. The driver turned the headlights on as they went by and pulled out in the lane to follow them.

After they had traveled for miles, it was dawn. A beautiful orange sky was getting brighter in the east.

Kevin was the first to speak in a long time. "Hey man, can you find a gas station? I really gotta pee."

"Classy Kevin-but so do I." Ben agreed.

"We will get to a rest stop before we find a gas station. I will stop there."

The rest stop was empty accept for them. Joe pulled up as close as he could to the restrooms and everyone climbed out. Ben searched the skies for Tetrax, or Albedo but saw nothing before he followed Kevin into the men's.

The girls found their entrance and went in too. Joe waited outside on the bench while Plumber sniffed around the trees and marked some of them as his own. He owned trees in many places as far as he was concerned.

Joe watched another car pull in and park a row behind them, but no one got out. Julie was the first one back and smiled at Joe on her way back to the truck. Kevin came out and limped over to where Joe sat. "Thanks for fixing me up . . . again. We sure are lucky to have you along."

"Happy I could help."

Gwen came out and went over to the machines to get bottled water. Joe went into the restroom leaving Kevin sitting on the edge of the bench with his leg stretched out as he tried to get comfortable. Ben finally came out and called to Kevin. "Do you want me to get you something from the machines?"

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Ben heard the first bullet scream right past his head and hit the men's room sign behind him. He screamed for the others to "GET DOWN!" as he landed on his stomach. Kevin rolled backwards off the bench and pressed flat behind it. Gwen got behind a pillar in the snack area as Steel fired, raining bullets all around them. Joe pressed flat against the wall at the restroom entrance.

Julie peeked out the little window in the back door of the truck and saw Steel walking confidently out from behind his car toward her friends as he fired his guns.

Bullets hit the ground in a line in front of Ben as he covered his head and tried to make himself flatter. He hit the watch and turned into Goop. Goop couldn't help but sound funny as he yelled at Kevin "get out of there" as Steel shot another line of fire right next to Kevin's head.

Kevin didn't move. It looked like he was frozen with fear. Ben heard him pleading with someone. He oozed over to him as Goop and could hear him repeating "Dad Stop! Dad no!"

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Kevin was suddenly twelve years old again. He could feel it all over again when his small hand reached back to the painful burning and felt the warm wet soaking his jeans. Kevin fell when his leg was shot out from under him by a bullet fired by his step-father. He looked at his small hand covered in blood and felt sick to his stomach.

He tried to get up to get away when he saw his step-father staggering toward him, full of beer, or whatever the drink of the day was. Anger rose inside him at his mother because she was not there. She wasn't there to protect him.

He watched with terror in his eyes as his step-father pulled his fist back. "I will teach you to bring home another mouth for me to feed." His fist made contact with twelve year old Kevin's cheek and he fell flat on the sidewalk his step-father still screaming at him as he tried to keep his eyes open.

"You deserve nothing-especially a dog and it is your fault I had to shoot it." Kevin looked over at the dead dog that had licked his face and followed him home. He sobbed harder as he thought about it being his fault the dog was dead.

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Ben screamed at sixteen-year old Kevin. "Kevin! Get out of here." But Kevin didn't even pick up his head. He just stayed down on his stomach, shaking.

Three bullets splashed into Goop and he reformed right away, well most of him. One still-sore hole remained that Ben guessed was where his injured arm might be if he was human. He never felt pain when he was Goop before.

Goop's control module flew through the air pulling Goop with it toward Steel in an arch away from Kevin. He reasoned Steel was after him and he was only drawing his fire closer to an apparently helpless Kevin.

Gwen took the chance and ran over to Kevin with one pink energy shield after another shattering as she ran. She captured Kevin in her mana and pulled him to the sidewalk in front of their truck and out of the line of fire.

Steel focused all his fire at Goop when he saw that he was coming at him. Bullets harmlessly cut through the Goop and the holes closed. Within only a few feet, metal clanged as Goop's control module took a bullet. Goop fell flat to the ground with a squishing sound and the module flew through the air and bounced on the asphalt.

Julie quietly jumped out of the back of the truck. Steel had walked forward far enough that she was now a little behind him and he wouldn't see her. The laser lance felt good in her hands. What great balance it had as she leveled it at the back of Steel's head. She stopped and thought, no-I want a bigger target and pointed it at his butt. Julie squeezed the trigger and gave him a short burst in the butt that caused him to drop one of the guns and turn toward her.

Another short blast in the gut made him drop the automatic. Enraged that this small girl that had been his slave so recently, was now fighting him-he roared and ran at her. Julie smiled and squeezed the trigger again. The blast hit him in the chest and he slowed.

She kept the trigger pulled to fire in a continuous beam. She remembered hearing Kevin tell Joe, that these can shoot for thirty-five continuous minutes, "Let's find out." She took several steps toward the Knight who hurt her, trying to drill him into the ground.

Gwen ran from the bench and around the side to run up on the other side of the truck. That would put her behind Julie. "Hey Gwen!" she greeted her when she saw her out of the corner of her eye. Julie was still firing, and the guy called Steel was already down and not moving. "Julie, it's ok-that's enough." Gwen gently took the laser lance away from her and Julie broke down and cried on her shoulder.

Joe came out and ran to Kevin. He was still face down and had his arms over his head. Joe was afraid he had been shot again and pulled on him to roll him over. Kevin startled when he felt his hands and yelled but Joe got him rolled over anyway and started looking for gunshot wounds. Kevin saw it was Joe and relaxed. "Are you ok Kevin?"

"Just wonderful." Kevin was still breathing fast. "Where's Tennyson?" he looked where Joe was looking and saw a green puddle of Goop and his control module was nowhere in sight. Joe and Kevin saw Gwen and Julie were safe by the truck and Plumber was with them. They all went to the green puddle of Goop.

"He's not changing back. What's wrong?"

"Where is his control module?"

They all searched the area for the module. Kevin found it. Gwen took it over to Goop and placed it close to the edge of the puddle. Nothing happened. Kevin picked it up and put it in the puddle. Still nothing.

"What happened?" Kevin picked it back up and wiped the Goop off of it on his shirt to examine it more closely. He soon saw a dent. "Oh no-It's damaged-looks like it took a bullet."

Julie put her hand over her mouth and got tears in her eyes so worried that green goo would be the last she saw of Ben.

Gwen was trying to figure it out. "Without the control module, Goop can't move, not even to activate the Omnitrix to turn back into Ben it seems. We should be able to activate the Omnitrix for him shouldn't we? Maybe there is nothing wrong with Ben, only Goop."

"Guys, cross your fingers." Gwen said as she reached into the puddle and found the dial.

The bright green lights sparkled and flashed white. The module and green Goop vanished and human Ben was lying on his stomach in Goop's place.

"Ben! Can you hear me?" Gwen asked.

Dr. Joe moved in closer to check him. "Now he is in a form I know what to do with." He rolled Ben over and checked his pulse. "Gwen, go get me the little blue case from the bag." Gwen ran and came right back with it. Dr. Joe got out the smelling salt and held the small vial under Ben's nose. He coughed and opened his eyes.

"Ow, what happened?" Ben sat up holding his head. "My head feels like it's been hit by a hammer."

Kevin explained, "Goop's control module was damaged! Has anything like that ever happened before?"

"No, how was it damaged?" Ben got up with Dr. Joe's help.

"It took a bullet and flew up into the grass. We found it, but it didn't seem to be working even after we put it back close to your slime. It disappeared with Goop when Gwen activated the Omnitrix to change you back."

Ben cringed when he saw Steel's burnt body lying on the asphalt nearby. "What happened to Steel?"

When Julie didn't answer, Gwen offered, "Julie took care of it. She probably saved us all."

Ben could see Julie had Ben crying he silently went to her gave her a hug. She hugged him back before they walked over to the truck. Joe stayed next to the truck looking at Steel's body. Not feeling right about just leaving it like that, he was wondering what they should do about it.

Tetrax finally showed up and hopped off his hoverboard next to Joe. Joe took a step back not sure about the new alien that he hadn't met yet. Tetrax spoke, "I'm sorry I'm late, looks like I missed the action. Are all of you alright?"

Joe answered yes, he thought so. Tetrax saw the body and said he had it covered. He activated a device built into his armor and pointed a beam at the large man's body. The body glowed and disappeared.

"Thanks. We haven't really met yet, my name is Joe."

"Tetrax. I've known Ben since he was a kid. We've helped each other out of jams before. He told me you are a 'doctor' is that some sort of human repair tech?"

"Ya, I repair humans as long as they are still repairable, and still human. I thought we were really in a jam when he seemed injured as Goop. Where were you? I thought we lost Ben there for a few minutes."

"What happened?"

Joe told him as much as he thought he understood about it and told him he was sure Ben could tell him more accurately.

"When I get back to my ship I will try to contact Azmuth and find out what we can do."

Inside the truck Gwen gave Kevin a lingering hug. She could sense he was embarrassed, but something more was bothering him. "Kevin? What happened out there?"

"Nuthin'-I don't wanna talk about it ok?"

"But you were almost killed! It looked like you froze! I am worried about you."

"I am fine."

Ben had been listening to Kevin. "Kevin, you can talk to us; we need you to be ready for our next fight – I hate it, but I am sure it will be unavoidable."

"I AM FINE. Stop asking!" Ben looked at the floor. No one in the truck, including Plumber completely believed him.

"I wonder if I can go Goop again."

Julie was concerned and cautioned, "Please don't try it, until we know what happened. Maybe your friend Tetrax can help."

Joe peeked in the doors and told Ben that Tetrax was there. Ben jumped back out of the truck to go talk to him.

"Julie, are you ok? That was pretty hard-core- if it was me, I would be upset." Joe sat next to her.

"I am a little upset I guess, I kinda lost it- didn't I?"

"Courage comes in many forms. You did what you had to do and you saved us all. Try not to dwell on it. You know if you ever want to talk, I am sure you can talk to your friends or even me."

"I am sure we all consider you our friend too, Joe."

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Ben asked, "Tetrax, what happened to you? We could have used your help just now."

"Sorry Ben, I picked up radio signals that spoke of two more trucks full of knights heading our way to back Steel up. It took me longer to defeat them than I thought, because Albedo was with them. For some reason he stopped fighting with me and took off as Jetray. I stopped the rest of the Knights and joined you as soon as I could."

"Well at least we know Albedo is still around. I am afraid he will go back to Bellwood and hurt my parents. I don't know how he would know where my parents are for sure – but I would feel better if I was there."

"What did I miss? Your new friend told me there is something wrong."

"When I went Goop, he got damaged, but even before that- he didn't feel right. I think my injuries affected him and at the castle I couldn't keep from flying into a wall as Jetray."

"I understand. Azmuth should know about this."

"We are heading home now, almost, as soon as we get Kevin's car back from the hospital parking lot."

"Ben, even I can tell you are still weak from your injuries that Albedo inflicted on you. I feel terrible that I didn't get here soon enough to prevent that. You have to give yourself time to heal."

"I guess so, but with me out of the picture right now, I am really scared for my friends. I am very happy that you are here, Tetrax."

"I will stay close and be with you until Albedo is caught again." Tetrax smiled at Ben and hopped back on his hoverboard and took off.

Ben climbed back in the truck and flopped back on the seat next to Julie. He leaned forward and held his head wishing he felt better. Julie scooted closer and put her arm around him.

Kevin was on his side, facing the wall again and Plumber was on the end of the bench lying across his feet. Gwen was in the front passenger seat looking at the maps.

Joe pulled back out into traffic to cover the short distance left before getting back to Kevin's car.

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At the hospital, Joe ran in to get supplies, put in a leave notice and bring some lunch for all of them. Gwen got out with Kevin as he limped around his car looking for scratches, or any other sign that someone had touched it. He even got on the ground and looked under it. The thought had crossed his mind that if they knew it was his car the knights might have sabotaged it somehow, but he saw no sign of tampering.

Ben had left it nearly on empty the day he drove it to the hospital. Gwen elected to go with him to the corner for gas. The station was within sight of the truck. Plumber jumped up on the bench with Ben and Julie when Kevin left. He pushed himself between them, so they could both have easy access to petting him.

Joe came back and stowed the supplies, before moving the truck over to where Kevin was filling up his fuel tank. He gave Gwen and Kevin their food from the hospital cafeteria and got ready to go.

The rest of the day's driving went uneventfully. Now that they were alone Gwen tried again to get Kevin to talk about what was bothering him.

"I am fine, it's just . . . being shot again and then the gunfire when Steel caught up to us, brought back memories of when my step-father shot me. I don't remember being that scared- even when it happened. I couldn't move."

"Kevin?" Gwen was concerned, but she didn't know what to say.

"What if it happens again, Gwen, what if I can't protect you?"

"It won't, you will keep your cool- try not to worry."

They drove halfway into the night before they stopped again at a rest stop near the Arizona-New Mexico border. It was colder here, and without telling anyone he had done it, Joe brought out the warmer clothes he had already gotten for them.

Gwen and Kevin joined them in the truck again and Joe broke out the bread and peanut butter and jelly, and sodas too. "Wow a feast. You've thought of everything Joe. We owe you so much." Ben started off with four pieces of bread and big globs of peanut butter.

"You don't owe me anything. I thought it would be better if we stick close to the vehicles in case we have been followed, or if they are looking maybe we won't be spotted. We can eat and sleep in here and be ready to take off again as soon as we wake up." Joe changed Ben's and Kevin's bandages before they all prepared to sleep. He had Ben squeeze his hand and saw that Ben's arm and hand were still very weak and caused him pain when he tried to close his fingers. He couldn't make a tight fist.

"The cut was very deep. You may need surgery to repair the muscles and tendons." Ben looked very nervous so he continued. "Don't worry. We will have to do that surgery with real anesthetic in a hospital. It is more complicated that what I did for Kevin. If you are not much better very soon we will have to do it. I don't want you to lose any of the use of your hand or arm Ben.

"Alright." Ben reluctantly agreed as he tried to force his hand to open and close a few times.

"Don't strain it-Doctors orders."

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This time Joe volunteered to sleep in the back seat of Kevin's car so Kevin could sleep more comfortably on the bench in the truck. He could tell Gwen wanted to stay closer to him too. He took four of the laser lances with him and put them on the floor of Kevin's car within reach of any seat before stretching out to try and sleep. They were all exhausted and went to sleep pretty fast.

Twelve-year old Kevin opened his eyes and found himself on his stomach in the back seat of his step-father's car. It felt like they were parked and he reached back to his burning thigh. His jeans were stiff with dried, cold blood. His step-father's voice was assaulting his ears. "Now you're gonna cost me a hospital bill-you are such a waste of space, time and money. You are lucky your mom has insurance ya good-for-nuttin'-brat. Come on-get up!"

Kevin tried to get up, only to find out his leg wouldn't move. His step-father dragged him out of the car by his shirt and when he couldn't stand, let him fall to the pavement and laughed at him.

The deranged man that Kevin had to call dad, frowned when he looked down at Kevin's bloody pants. "I can't have anyone seeing you looking like that."

"What?" Kevin asked, not understanding. He reached down and yanked on the waistband of his jeans so hard the button popped off, and broke the zipper. Kevin felt himself come up off the ground before his pants came off and he fell back to the pavement with a sickening thud. He was gasping to catch his breath by the time his step-dad picked him up and threw him over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Injured and humiliated, without even having pants on, young Kevin screamed and cried. There was pain, but more so, he was terrified of his step-father and feeling very angry. The hospital staff just thought he was upset because he shot himself. That's what his step-father told them.

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Sixteen year old Kevin tossed and turned and kicked in his sleep. The wound in his leg caused him pain that lent a little more reality to his nightmare. When he started screaming this time, Gwen was right there trying to calm him. She awakened him before he had a chance to knock her away again. Ben and Julie woke up but stayed still. Gwen had it handled and Kevin probably wouldn't want another audience staring at him.

Kevin buried his face in the clothes and towels he was using for a pillow. He had knocked his sleeping bag off the bench and his skin felt cold. Gwen smoothly climbed over him with her sleeping bag. She put her slim body between Kevin and the wall and pulled her open sleeping bag over them both. He pressed into her as she hugged him close and kissed him behind his ear.

He wiped tears out of his eyes in the dim light before turning his head to look at her. She was smiling kindly at him. "I love you." She whispered.

He smiled and whispered "Ditto." before he closed his eyes again. He felt so safe and comforted with her near, it was the best sleep he'd had on the trip so far.

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The next day's driving was uneventful too. It made for lots of quiet time for Ben's imagination to run wild. He was just sure Albedo was following them just out of sight, or had perhaps already gone home to do something to his parents. He couldn't stand it and called home. He forced himself to sound calm as he asked his mom about dad and talked about the weather. Everything sounded fine there.

They stopped again at a rest stop for the night. This was another secluded one and it was even colder here than it had been the night before. There was one other elderly couple stopped at the other end when they pulled in. Ben sat on one of the benches in a Ramada for a while and watched them. Seeing them reminded him of when they were traveling around in the Rust Bucket. It was times like this when he really missed Grandpa Max.

They started off with the same sleeping arrangements with Gwen on the floor with Julie. After a few minutes Kevin reached down and gently touched her shoulder trying not to startle her.

She looked up at him, and whispered, "Are you ok? What's wrong?"

"You aren't up here with me." He gave her a lost puppy look. She very willingly climbed over him and settled in like the night before and they were warm and comfy as they drifted to sleep. He got goose bumps all over when he felt her press against him. Kevin started to roll over to face her but she held him still and began rubbing his back. He went into a deep happy sleep while she melted his muscles into a puddle of very relaxed goo.

Ben was already sleeping on his back, with drool running out of the corner of his mouth. Julie reached up into his sleeping bag and found his hand. She went to sleep holding it.

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To be continued . . .


	9. Chapter 9 Aerial Bombardment

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 9 – Aerial Bombardment

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. Kevin & Gwen with help rescued Ben and Julie from the Forever Knight Castle and Albedo's clutches. Kevin got hurt again, and no one else is in good shape either. They fought off the Knights that pursued them, and have to get back to civilization for help. Of course a little romance – but really – it's not about the romance. :)

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From part 8 – M.A.S.H.

"You aren't up here with me." He gave her a lost puppy look. She very willingly climbed over him and settled in like the night before and they were warm and comfy as they drifted to sleep. He got goose bumps all over when he felt her press against him. Kevin started to roll over to face her but she held him still and began rubbing his back. He went into a deep happy sleep while she melted his muscles into a puddle of very relaxed goo.

Ben was already sleeping on his back, with drool running out of the corner of his mouth. Julie reached up into his sleeping bag and found his hand. She went to sleep holding it.

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Tetrax flew over the Forever Knight vehicle and the car as they parked at the rest stop. He swooped down and stayed low behind the trees until he got down in a riverbed to avoid being seen. When he was far enough away for humans to not see him, but he could still see them, he surfed straight up a cliff wall and found a ledge to observe from. The ledge Tetrax sat on was formed by a nearly horizontal crack in the cliff and even had a roof of sorts to protect him if it rained, not that he needed it.

Albedo approached from the rear as Big Chill. He was already invisible, and went intangible to go through the rocky cliff from the rear and sneak up behind Tetrax. In his invisible form Albedo Big Chill paused to gaze out at the vehicles that held those insufferable teens. They were a long distance away, but he could still see every detail of their vehicles.

Albedo went Brainstorm and before Tetrax could turn and fire his diamond shards, Brainstorm blasted him with his electrolocutive power. Tetrax's crystalline body refracted and reflected the power sending it in all directions collapsing the ledge on itself and the side of the cliff crumbled. Tetrax was buried under tons of earth and before he could bust out, Albedo turned from Brainstorm to Echo Echo.

Echo Echo was smaller and could move around in the space in the rocks left by the size of Brainstorm's body. He focused his sonic scream at the rocks that buried Tetrax. The rocks and thousands of diamond shards exploded from the cliff as another large portion of the mountain collapsed.

Plumber was the only one that heard Albedo Echo Echo's sonic scream or the distant rumbling of the cliff side coming down. When Joe felt his dog jump to his feet and start growling, he rose up and looked around. He didn't see anything and told Plumber to settle down. The obedient dog lay back down on the passenger side front seat and crossed his front paws. He continued to gaze back out the windshield, in the direction the noises came from.

Satisfied that Tetrax was blown into tiny diamond splinters, Albedo Echo Echo went Big Chill again as he searched through the diamond shards debris for a larger piece with a sharp edge. After he found one shaped like a knife he headed for the stolen Forever Knight truck that contained Ben Tennyson to complete the job he had already started. Now he didn't even have to keep him alive for the Forever King.

Albedo Big Chill landed in front of the large four wheel drive truck and pulled a nylon bag out from under his wing. He stayed invisible as he silently took a small gas tank and hose out of the bag. Had someone been watching, all they would have seen was an apparently haunted bag, tank and hose floating around.

He pried the wing window on the driver's side open with his finger just wide enough to run the hose in. Then he turned on the valve on the tank and there was a low hissing noise as the gas began to fill the inside of the truck. Big Chill flew up to the roof of the truck to wait a few minutes.

It seemed like an eternity to the impatient Galvin. He was so close to getting his revenge, and now he had to wait. The gas was the best plan he could come up with since he was alone and didn't want to fight them all. He still wanted his revenge to be neat and clean.

Ben dreamed he was safe at home and eating Chili Fries with Julie. He reached for some more. She yelled 'Albedo' and hit his hand away. In reality, his arm really had become uncomfortable in the position it was in. He moaned and tried to roll over but found he couldn't move.

First, he thought he was wrapped up too tight in his sleeping bag. Then realizing he smelled something awful, moaned louder and tried to open his eyes. "Julie?" he whispered. He was so groggy, even his eyes wouldn't open right away. In the dim light, he saw something that looked like green fog had filled the truck. He looked over at the others.

Julie, Gwen nor Kevin, were moving, he couldn't even hear Kevin snoring. He panicked, and wanted to reach for Julie but he couldn't move, Ben stared at the ceiling and called, "Kevin! Gwen?" but his voice was barely over a whisper. A loud noise echoed through the truck and it rocked as Chromastone tore through the roof and dropped down to stand over Julie.

Albedo! Ben couldn't speak or turn his head anymore, but he could see Chromastone leaning over him, and feel him pick up his arm and pat the Omnitrix with his silicone fingers. Ben tried, but couldn't scream when he saw the large knife-shaped diamond shard in Chromastone's hand.

Albedo Chromastone held Ben's hand tightly and leaned down to look into his face to make sure he saw him. "Hello Ben. I will let your friends die right away from the gas. You get to watch them die. I will keep you alive and awake a little longer after I disarm you by taking your Omnitrix. You deserve to suffer more for what you have done to me."

Albedo Chromastone pulled Ben's arm up so high by his hand that his shoulders came up off the bench. He placed the sharp edge of the diamond shard against Ben's skin by the Omnitrix, but before he started sawing, he stopped to gaze into Ben's terrified eyes once again. It was so rewarding, and this time, he was sure to succeed.

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In Kevin's car, Joe felt something move. It was Plumber. He had sat up erect with his ears forward and began growling softly. Joe sat up and looked where Plumber was looking but didn't see anything. He started to get comfortable again to go back to sleep, but Plumber wouldn't leave it alone. He shifted his hips and licked his lips and the growling turned into a snarl. "What's wrong, boy?"

A loud noise that sounded like metal being crumpled followed and the truck parked next to them rocked on its axels. Plumber's muscular haunches engaged and he went right through the driver's side window shattering it and landing in a run. He ran around the truck snarling and looking for a way in.

Joe realized Plumber was serious. There was something wrong. He grabbed a laser lance, jumped out of the car and ran to the back of the truck. Upon flinging the doors open, a green fog rolled out as Plumber ran in. Joe yelled "Ben!" a creature held Ben up by his arm and was getting ready to cut it off.

Joe coughed and stepped back as he was engulfed by the green cloud of poison. Plumber jumped on Albedo Chromastone and scared him even though a dog's teeth couldn't have hurt him in Chromastone's silicone form. He got off balance and dropped Ben before he fell forward into the cab and knocked the gear shift out of first, into neutral.

While Joe coughed off the effects of the poison, the truck rolled forward and picked up enough speed quickly to bounce over the curb. It rolled down a gradual slope, though the bushes and into a dry waterway that went around the buildings. The front of the truck banged hard into the steeper, opposite side of the ditch and came to rest sitting tilted downward in soft sand. The passenger door popped open and helped to air the poison gas out of the truck. The unconscious teens inside, were tossed around helplessly and Kevin and Ben fell off the benches.

Albedo Chromastone accidentally deactivated his Omnitrix and returned himself to the default form he hated so much. Plumber badly wanted another taste of him no matter what he looked like and helped himself to pieces of shoulder, ribs and leg as Albedo yelled and tried to crawl around on the floor boards.

Joe ran after the truck and had to climb to get up in the back with the front end sunken down. He found his dog with his teeth sunk into Albedo Ben's leg and the unconscious teens tangled in piles of their gear and each other.

Joe's first thoughts were that he was too late and they were all already dead from the gas. "Please be alive . . . Please be alive!" He quickly picked Ben up off of Julie and put him back on the bench his hand rested gently in the center of Ben's chest.

Joe closed his eyes and sighed gratefully when he felt Ben's heartbeat, but even without counting he could tell the rate was slow and his breaths were shallow. He pulled Gwen out into a more comfortable position than the one she had landed in and checked her next.

Joe was interrupted by a flash of light that meant Albedo had managed to reactivate his Omnitrix. He looked up and saw Plumber lying motionless after being caught in the energy of Albedo's transformation. "No!" he started toward his dog, but was hit first with web, and then body slammed by Albedo Spidermonkey.

Dr. Joe flew through the air backwards and landed in the sand behind the truck with Spidermonkey on top of him. He struggled against the web and tried to turn out from under his crazed attacker, when he suddenly felt the weight come off of his body.

Tetrax had flown into Albedo Spidermonkey at full speed and knocked him off Joe. Albedo Spidermonkey screamed in anger and in a flash turned into Jetray. Albedo Jetray shot through the air with Tetrax on his tail. They went quickly out of Joe's sight.

Joe struggled against the web and managed to get his hand free. He got up and ran to the truck. After finding his bag he dug out bandage scissors and cut the rest of the web off. He looked at his dog again, but stopped to check Julie and Kevin first. I have to figure out what kind of gas this was! Maybe I can find the source. He climbed back out and found the plastic hose hanging out of the window.

He looked back to where the truck had been parked and saw the small tank. He ran to it and picked it up. It was labeled, but the writing was unlike any language he knew of on earth. So Joe's plan to help the others returned to supportive care. He resolved to make sure everyone's vitals stayed as close to normal as possible until he could figure this out.

Joe considered calling an ambulance- or a couple of ambulances, but the problem of being found and trapped by the Forever Knights remained. He didn't know if Albedo was still working with them or not. At least here, their truck was stuck, but was well hidden in the bushes behind the rest stop.

While there he ran back to Kevin's car and got the weapons. There wasn't much he could do right then about the window being broken but he locked the doors just to make himself feel better. When he returned to the truck, he closed the front door but left both front windows open to keep the air circulating. Since they now had a large open skylight in the roof, he closed the back doors for some more privacy.

Joe rolled Kevin over and took his vitals again. At least he was staying about the same and not getting worse. Joe cursed under his breath that he only had one oxygen tank and mask. He started with the mask on Ben and let the oxygen flow at a high rate planning to rotate it between the others every few minutes. Now that he was tracking everyone's vitals closely he went to take a quick look at Plumber.

Plumber was so still, Joe's stomach came up into his throat as he looked at him. He put his hand on the dog's ribs and thankfully felt a heartbeat. He carried Plumber to the back where he could keep a closer eye on him. Time to move the oxygen from Ben to Julie, he lifted Ben's head a little to get the strap off, and was elated when Ben moaned and took a deep breath!

"Ben! . . . Ben! Can you hear me? Come on Kid!" he quickly put the oxygen on Julie and went back to Ben. "BENJAMIN TENNYSON!" Joe yelled, and Ben moaned again.

"What?" he said weakly. Joe grinned from ear to ear and tousled his hair before patting his cheeks with both hands and repeating his name. Ben startled and came up fighting weakly as he remembered Albedo had been there. "It's alright Ben, you are safe now." Ben's chest heaved up and down as he stopped struggling and looked at him.

Ben looked around and saw his friends all still unconscious. "Not again-please! They're ok aren't they?"

"I think they will be fine, how do you feel?" Ben ignored Joe. He covered his face with his hands and for the first time noticed how much his arm hurt again, blood soaked the bandage. His wound had been torn open when his weight was hanging from his arm.

"They are hurt again because of me. Joe, are they going . . .?" he kneeled next to Julie and held her hand.

"Try not to worry Ben, you woke up pretty fast, I am sure they will too."

Kevin woke up next, even without the benefit of getting oxygen. He woke up angry. "What's going on?" He got up off the floor and became even angrier and scared at the same time when he saw Gwen unconscious. He sat next to her and pulled her up close to him while Joe explained to him what had happened and what was going on.

"Ben-are you ok man?" Ben nodded too upset to speak.

Kevin patted the side of Plumber's face. "Joe, is Plumber ok?"

Ben looked up and saw Plumber for the first time. He sobbed, "No, not Plumber too! Joe! I'm so sorry!" Ben was shaking as he got to his feet. Joe was tending to Gwen again. "Ben, sit back down. I still want to monitor your vitals and check your arm."

Ben squeezed his eyes shut and screamed in frustration. He jumped up, hit the back door and it slammed open. Ben jumped out barefooted and staggered out into the deep sand. It was harder to walk barefooted in the soft sand and as weak as he still felt, he soon went to his knees and held his arm tightly against his stomach.

"I got him doc." Kevin jumped up and followed him. He quickly got to his side and started to help him up. "Ben. . . get back in the truck." They both stopped and looked up when they heard a hum and what sounded like strong wind blowing.

Kevin looked up and saw Albedo Jetray flying straight at them with Tetrax on the hover board right behind him. Albedo Jetray's hide covering his back and tail had a half-dozen diamond shards stuck in it, and Tetrax was in the middle of regenerating an arm as they shot past the two kneeling in the sand.

Albedo flew in a circle and came back, ignoring his pursuer to go after Ben, now that he was out in the open. He aimed his eye beams at his hated twin and fired. Kevin saw them coming back and pulled Ben back just as the sand where they had been exploded in the twin laser beams. Kevin pushed Ben back down and covered him with his own body as Albedo and Tetrax flew very low over them.

"No Kevin! Get off me - you're in danger – run away."

"Not a chance. Not without you-come on." Kevin took Ben by his right hand to pull him up and run toward the truck. Albedo Jetray put down two more beams and the sand next to them exploded. The force of the blast threw Kevin against the side of the truck and he fell to the ground. Ben was thrown back and rolled several times away from the truck before stopping on his back out in the sand.

Kevin saw Ben was out in the open again and touched the truck to absorb the iron. He winced as the material covered the burnt flesh on his back and over the gunshot wound on his leg. He sucked up the pain and made himself run back out to Ben as Albedo Jetray raced toward them. Energy beams created a line of exploding sand right toward Ben. Tetrax yelled warnings at them as he tried desperately to stop Albedo.

Kevin got to Ben and threw himself on top of him just as the energy beams cut right over both of them. Kevin screamed as the beams blew his armor off his lower back, but Ben was protected under him. Kevin fell limp with his full weight on Ben while the rest of his armor dissolved and took some more of his flesh exposed with it. "Ow." He said quietly.

"Kevin! No!" Ben tried to see Kevin's face and struggled to get out from under him. He pushed Kevin off with great effort and kneeled next to him. "Kevin! Get up!"

Kevin closed his eyes and his muscles tensed from the pain. "Ben go-I'm right behind you."

"Ya right!" Ben tried to drag him through the sand with one arm to get him out of there before Albedo came back. He lost his footing and fell back with Kevin on his legs.

Tetrax fired wave after wave of Diamond shards, but a Jetray was just too fast. Albedo laughed maniacally and poured on more speed as he turned to make another run.

From inside the truck, Julie screamed "No! Ben! Kevin's down – they're both in trouble!" Joe looked out too. "Stay here – I will help them get back here."

Out in the open, Ben's world was spinning-Albedo was coming again-Kevin was down, and he couldn't get him to safety-Tetrax was shouting at him to run-Joe was out in the open now too-Julie was screaming-Ben was enraged!

"ENOUGH!" he screamed as he slapped his watch. He turned into Jetray and when Albedo saw him, he banked sharply to the left to abort his attack. After one false lift-off because of his injured wing, Ben Jetray flew off and joined the chase.

Kevin was sprawled flat on his back in the sand and he found it hard to take a deep breath. He weakly yelled, "Ben no – come back!" and put his head back on the sand.

Joe slid up to him looked for the enemy. Ben had successfully lured Albedo away. He could see them as they chased each other firing energy beams against a dim red dawn sky. Tetrax was low on his hover board trying to keep up. He thought they would be safe for a moment.

"Kevin, I told you not to use your power! It hasn't even been four whole days yet-you have to give the burns time to heal!"

"Couldn't help it Doc-didn't know how else to save Ben." Joe frowned and helped Kevin roll over. He had two fresh burns in parallel lines across his lower back from Albedo Jetray's beams took apart his armor. There was a large chunk of flesh missing from the burn on his back and his gunshot wound was bleeding again, half the stitches gone.

"Come on tough guy – you got sand in the wounds I've been tending to so carefully for you." He helped Kevin get to his feet and they made their way slowly back to the truck. "You messed up my skilled work and if you get bad scars I don't want to hear you complain."

Julie patted Gwen's cheeks and called to her trying to wake her up. "Gwen! We need you - we are in trouble! Kevin and Ben are in trouble!" Gwen opened her eyes and put her hand to her head. "What? What's going on?" Gwen sat up and blinked to get her eyes to focus on Julie's worried face. Julie quickly told her about Albedo using the poison gas against them and what was going on.

Joe got Kevin to the back of the truck and the girls helped get him back in. "Kevin!" Gwen started to scold him, but Joe told her that he just saved Ben's life. Gwen hugged him as best as she could without hurting him and helped him back on the bench. Kevin watched Gwen so happy she finally woke up. "How do you feel?"

"I am great except for being worried about you." Gwen pushed Kevin's hair back from his face and kissed his temple. When she sat up and looked at him, he saw tears in her eyes. "Please Gwen, I am fine-don't worry."

Julie was afraid to ask, "Where's Ben?"

Joe answered, "He turned into an alien and took off after Albedo and Tetrax in an aerial battle."

"No-Ben-why-are-you-so-stubborn?" Julie started out, but Joe stopped her.

"Don't go out, you will be a target, and Ben wouldn't want you in any more danger." She flopped back down on her side and buried her face in Ben's dirty clothes on the bench in defeat. She could smell Ben on them, and she thought how good he smelled even dirty and it made her cry harder.

Gwen went to the back and jumped out of the truck. "No Gwen!"

"I won't become a target." She stated matter-of-factly as she moved away from the truck to scan the skies for the battle.

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Ben had a little trouble with stabilization. He flew like a very fast bird with no tail feathers. He still passed Tetrax and caught up to Albedo his rage pushing him on. Albedo grinned when he saw Ben was behind him and poured on the speed. Ben gritted his teeth and kept up. Tetrax cursed under his breath got lower to try and keep up.

Albedo suddenly slammed on the brakes and turned. Ben collided with him and the two Jetray's tumbled toward the ground. Albedo punched Ben in the face three times and shouted "I will make you PAY!"

Ben Jetray pushed him away with his good wing but Albedo grabbed his injured wing and twisted. Ben Jetray screamed in pain and fired the beam from his tail to break Albedo's grip.

All the time, they were both falling back to the ground in a blur of wings and tails. They weren't falling as fast as they had been flying and Tetrax was catching up. He dived after them, but wondered which one to grab. He couldn't tell them apart, so he planned to grab them both and sort them out later.

One Jetray righted himself and pulled out of the dive clipping the treetops as he leveled off. The other Jetray disappeared into the trees and thick brush growing on each side of a swiftly moving river. Tetrax slammed on the brakes for an instant before making a decision. He started back down to go after the Jetray that fell to the ground. Whichever one it was, the Jetray that flew away, seemed to be ok so he went to help the other in case it was Ben.

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Albedo Jetray couldn't put the brakes on in time and crashed down through the tree limbs before splashing into the river. He shot underwater and put some distance between him and where Tetrax was looking for him. Then he turned into Big Chill and turned invisible just out of the water and headed east.

Ben Jetray made a rough landing in the brush down river. He changed back into Ben and moaned as he sat up. He tried to go alien again but it wouldn't work. He beat on the watch and winced as he hurt his own arm. It looked like it was off, if that was possible. It must be rebooting or something he thought.

Maybe the poisonous gas wasn't out of his system yet, and he definitely felt terrible. He felt terrible physically and emotionally. Ben thought about everyone trying so hard to help him, and getting them hurt in the process. He wiped tears out of his eyes and rolled on his side under a bush. Ben was sure no one could find him for at least a few minutes and let himself relax a little.

Tired of his friends and family always being in danger because of him, Ben wanted to hide and get away from his friends. I couldn't protect them when I was with them anyway. It might be better for everyone I love, if Albedo did get the Omnitrix. He could fix his body - and I am sure Tetrax and Azmuth would get it back before he used it for anything else. They don't need me. "I'm just not cut out for this." I just want to die.

But he remembered Azmuth said the whole Universe was at stake. He grabbed a handful of his own hair and pulled on it in frustration and gritted his teeth. He was so confused, but also exhausted and he went to sleep, or maybe he passed out. Either way, he didn't get up for a while.

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"NO!" Gwen yelled as she ran to the truck. "Joe! It looks like Ben crashed – lets go- that way."

Julie sat up and covered her mouth with her hand.

"I'll try – this thing is probably stuck you know." He started the engine and began rocking it. When it felt right he popped the clutch and it climbed up out of the sand and straight up the bank. They could see glimpses of Tetrax over the tree tops as he searched for them. They followed him to the area where the two Jetray's fell.

Tetrax was already searching the area where he saw the Jetray's crash. He tried over and over to get a signal to show him where to look for the Omnitrix. There was no sign of the Omnitrix, Ben or Albedo. He had searched the length of the river twice before the others drove up and stopped along the river.

Tetrax jumped off his hover board and landed on the roof of the truck. He looked down in the hole and was pleased to see everyone was awake but he was not looking forward to telling them what had happened. He stayed on the roof and told them briefly what had happened through the hole.

Julie was looking at a piece of crumpled paper that she found under the pile of stuff Ben had been using as a pillow. She began to read out loud:

"Dear Julie, Gwen, Kevin, Joe and Plumber.

I care about you all too much to keep putting you in danger. Its better this way.

-Love Ben"

"No Ben." Julie said very quietly. Gwen remembered sadly-it was very similar to a note Ben had written once before when he ran away after Grandpa got hurt. Gwen took the note from Julie and looked at it herself. After she read it several times she said, "So we still don't know which one of them flew away, and which one . . ."

"The note Julie found just shows that Ben was planning to leave anyway. So he could have been the Jetray that flew away!"

". . . or he could have been . . ." Kevin started to finish the thought.

Julie interrupted, "Don't say it! We have to find Ben. If Ben was the one that hit the ground and was hurt he may not be able to come back to us and if Albedo finds him first . . ."

Joe stood up. "I know who might be able to find him, or whichever one of them is still out there, and he doesn't need any high tech gear."

Joe let plumber out of the truck and he immediately took off down the bank of the river. Tetrax flew off in the other direction to search again upstream while Joe, Gwen and Julie ran after Plumber. After a half mile downstream, Joe started calling plumber since he had outrun them.

Plumber barked in reply and they continued after him. They found the dog lying by Ben, or Albedo. "This must be Ben or Plumber would be chewing on him." Joe turned him over and from his injured arm and eye color verified that this was their Ben. Julie got to them last and started to go to him, but Gwen held her back so Joe could check him over.

Ben woke up and looked at them. "What happened?"

"You went Jetray and fought Albedo. You crashed out here, Albedo flew away I guess. We haven't found him." Gwen explained while Joe helped Ben up.

Julie went to him and gave him a hug. "We thought you left us. There was a note you wrote telling us goodbye." Joe noticed Ben only used one arm to hug her back.

"I am leaving! I can't stand you guys being in danger."

"No, don't say that, Ben?" Julie held on tighter to him and it was good she did. Ben began to feel very dizzy and swayed in her arms.

"Ben is too weak to walk all the way back to the truck. Joe, do you think you and Julie could go bring it closer while I talk to Ben?"

"Sure Gwen." Julie didn't want to leave him, but did. Gwen helped him sit back down and she sat next to him. Plumber stayed with them and rested his chin on Ben's knee while he petted him.

"Don't you remember when you were ten and you tried to run away from grandpa and me? You do benefit from your friends staying close. This is a huge responsibility and we can help you. Don't you remember?"

"I remember, and I know 'I' am better off with you guys – I can't do this without help. I know that – but you guys are better off without me! Any of you could die anytime-and I would rather die myself than let that happen! Albedo has reminded us how venerable we can be over and over these last four days. Maybe it would be better if he just got the Omnitrix. I am not cut out for this. Azmuth can find someone else to wear it."

"Ben? What are you saying? You can't give up!"

"Why can't I? The watch came off before. Tetrax can take it back to Azmuth. I hope Grandpa is still ok in the Null Void-maybe I can go help him so he can come home sooner."

"If you don't have the watch, how can you help him there? Please Ben, don't give up."

"Your right, if I am just plain old Ben and worthless, I can't help anyone, but I won't get my friends and family killed either."

"No Ben-that isn't what I meant at all. . ."

"But you're right. First, I am going to get rid of Albedo if I have to die in the process. Maybe I can make a deal with him, if he gets my Omnitrix and has his 'revenge' he will have no reason to go after any of you anymore."

"Ben?" Gwen couldn't think of anything to say to get him to change his mind. They heard the truck coming and Ben got up and walked away from Gwen slowly with Plumber walking behind him. Gwen got up and followed him quietly back to the truck.

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To be continued . . .


	10. Chapter 10 Assault

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 10 – Assault on Ben

By Crystalquirt

Violence and angst. Ben's injuries become worse after a battle with Albedo. Joe rushes him off for medical attention before they can continue on their trip to get home.

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From the LAST chapter, 9 – Aerial Bombardment

"Ben? What are you saying? You can't give up!"

"Why can't I? The watch came off before. Tetrax can take it back to Azmuth. I hope Grandpa is still ok in the Null Void-maybe I can go help him so he can come home sooner."

"If you don't have the watch, how can you help him there? Please Ben, don't give up."

"Your right, if I am just plain old Ben, I am worthless and can't help anyone, but I won't get my friends and family killed either."

"No Ben-that isn't what I meant at all. . ."

"But you're right. First, I am going to get rid of Albedo if I have to die in the process. Maybe I can make a deal with him, if he gets my Omnitrix and has his 'revenge' he will have no reason to go after any of you anymore."

"Ben?" Gwen couldn't think of anything to say to get him to change his mind. They heard the truck coming and Ben got up and walked away from Gwen slowly with Plumber walking behind him. Gwen sighed and got up to follow him back to the truck.

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Thirty feet from the truck Gwen stopped, "Ben, wait - please - just promise you won't do anything until we talk some more." Gwen tried one more time to reason with Ben. The pain in his arm was becoming more and more intense so he stopped willingly and hugged his arm to his chest with his eyes squeezed shut.

"I don't know what you think talking will accomplish. Albedo and several other entire species are after me to kill me. You can't deny that. You, Kevin and now even Julie have been hurt fighting with me and trying to protect me. Another fact! I just want to give up and die every time one of you is hurt, and maybe everyone would be better off if I did both."

"Since WHEN is it all up to you - huh? What an EGO you have! We fight to protect the earth just like you do – we will help however we can. This isn't all about you-ya know! You don't have a say in when or how we might be hurt in this fight."

"I know, but . . ."

"Even if you give up - we will continue to fight," she poked him in the chest with her finger until he backed up a step.

". . . and you know what? I hate to admit it, but without you – the fight will be harder, maybe impossible - and we stand even more of a chance of getting hurt – but we still won't give up until we win!"

Gwen stomped off toward the truck but about ten steps later she turned back around to face him. "SO - IF YOU WANT TO GIVE UP AND HIDE, AND BE 'SAFE' YOU GO RIGHT AHEAD – We-will-do-FINE-without-you!"

She left Ben standing there by himself staring at the ground. He had been holding onto a small tree to stay on his feet but let go and sat back down. It occurred to him he couldn't move his arm at all anymore from the elbow down.

Ben used his right hand to pull his left arm into his lap, and nasty dark, thick blood was soaked through the bandage and it really had begun to hurt again. He exhaled loudly and let himself fall back in the sandy dirt.

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When Joe and Julie first got back to the truck to take it out to pick up Gwen and Ben, Kevin tried to sit in the front seat but the rough, four-wheel trek through the brush and waterways wouldn't give his back or leg any peace. He got back on the bench on his stomach and held on to the sides.

Julie stayed on the other bench and quietly watched Joe drive from behind him. She was so happy they had found Ben alive she couldn't stop smiling. Joe stopped as close to where Ben and Gwen were as he could get with the large vehicle and went to the back of the truck.

The medical bags had spilled most of their supplies all over so he began gathering them back together. Fortunately the sterile items were wrapped well and stayed sterile. The drugs in the ice chest were still cold and upright. Julie got down and helped Joe pick stuff up.

"Kevin, how are you feeling?"

"Fine Dr. Joe."

"Well, you don't look fine." Dr. Joe instructed him to raise up so he could get his shirt and sweat pants off and left him lying on his stomach naked.

"Come on Doc! I'm naked here!" Kevin pulled his shirt back over his butt to try and hide some part of him.

"Not my fault you don't have extra underwear and I gotta get to the back of your leg to clean the wound."

Julie sat in the front and looked out the window to give Kevin some privacy while Dr. Joe got ready to work on him. She was really hoping Gwen would return so she wouldn't have to help Joe with Kevin's injuries if he needed it. The sight of blood always grossed her out, and after the last couple of days, it bothered her more than it used to.

"Here comes Gwen – but I don't see Ben!" Julie hopped out of the truck and met Gwen.

"Where's Ben."

"I guess he's still back there feeling sorry for himself."

"Why? What's wrong with him?"

"I don't know. He's being totally, infuriatingly irrational. Go see if you can talk some sense into him." Gwen climbed back in the truck and greeted Kevin with a whistle when she saw him.

"Alright, alright - Is Ben ok?" Kevin asked too.

"Ben-is-an-idiot." was all Gwen would say and she took his hand in her's and gave it a squeeze. Kevin knew now would be a good time to stop talking, so he kissed her hand and told her she was pretty. She grunted at him.

"Ok Kevin, We need to play 'doctor' again. Get on your side with your back to me before you get in trouble with Gwen."

Gwen held Kevin's leg still with a pan under it while Dr. Joe flushed all the sand out of the gunshot wound. Then they repeated the procedure for his torn open, burned back. Dr. Joe packed ointment and fresh bandages on each and then cleaned the two new burns on his lower back. While he had easy access to Kevin's butt, he gave him another shot of penicillin.

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Julie and Ben were both silent when they came back to the truck and got in. Gwen grunted at Ben, otherwise she ignored him. "Kevin? Thanks for saving me out there." Ben sounded pretty exhausted and very sad. He didn't even seem to notice when Dr. Joe grabbed him by his hips, pulled his waistband down a little and gave him penicillin shot too.

"No problem Ben, you would have done it for me." Kevin smiled. "Hey guys, what do you think if we spend a little longer out here away from the highway before we go back to the rest stop? I think we could all use a nap."

Everyone agreed with Kevin and they turned their backs to him so he could put his sweatpants back on. Gwen stretched out next to him by the wall and stroked his hair and rubbed his neck.

She whispered in his ear and made him giggle like a girl. Hearing Kevin giggle even made Ben smile as he and Julie traded places. She got the bench and Ben stayed on the floor with Joe and Plumber.

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Almost three hours later Joe woke up and quietly went to sit in the driver's seat to look at maps. Plumber crawled over closer to Ben. He scratched the dog's ears and repositioned his hurting arm. The pain didn't let him sleep at all.

Joe startled and gasped when Tetrax appeared and looked at him through the windshield. He got out as quietly as he could and they stepped away from the truck.

Joe told Tetrax that everyone seemed ok but were exhausted. The only one he was really worried about was Ben. He had noticed that Ben was not able to use his arm at all and would probably need surgery at some point. Too much of the muscle and probably several tendons had been cut. Tetrax worried that Ben would need repair and wondered how long he would be in the 'shop'.

Joe smiled and said ideally it would take a few weeks for him to heal correctly and then a few more weeks of physical therapy. He knew that probably wouldn't happen.

Tetrax said he would help in any way he could – watching them at the hospital and guarding them while Ben recovered. Joe thanked him and told him he hoped Albedo would be captured before Ben would have to have surgery.

"We're gonna pull out as soon as the others wake up, but I don't want to wake them up any sooner than we have to. They are all exhausted and if they have to fight now it would not be a good thing for any of them."

Tetrax flew off along the river a little way watching for signs of trouble and staying out of sight of the other humans. Joe climbed up in the driver's seat again and found himself looking at Ben sitting in the passenger side front seat. He smiled at him, wondering why he wasn't sleeping.

"Joe is Kevin going to be ok?" he whispered.

"Yes Ben, he will be better faster if he does what I tell him. Same for you-come on-lets go out and talk and re-bandage that arm of yours so we don't bother them." Joe reached next to the seat and got some bandage material and the scissors before getting out.

They sat under a tree in front of the truck "Ben, how is your arm feeling?" he asked before he started to change the blood-soaked bandage.

"It's ok."

"Really? . . . and 'ok' isn't a good answer and not what I asked you. I wanted something a little more specific."

"My arm feels fine."

"I think you're lying Ben," Ben looked at the ground. ". . . and I can see you aren't using it at all, I told you to tell me if it gets worse."

"Sorry Doc – I was just hoping it would pass. Albedo hurt it when he picked me up by my arm in the truck and later he twisted Jetray's wing while I fought him in the air, and crashing through the trees didn't help at all - it really hurts, but I can't be out of commission-I have to protect everyone."

Joe picked his arm up gently and even that small movement made Ben look away and cry out through gritted teeth. "Easy Ben."

"It's ok." Ben took several fast breaths and winced as he continued. Joe cut the old bandage off and even he was a little surprised at the damage, the bruises, swelling and the dark discoloration of the skin below the cut and even his hand and fingers look pale and blue. Even the lights on the Omnitrix looked dim.

"Ben we have to get this taken care of now. I don't mean to scare you, or maybe I should scare you - you could lose your arm - it looks like there is very little circulation. We have to go, now."

"But what about getting home? Albedo is still out there too."

"You will just have to trust your friends to take care of things." Joe put a light clean wrap on his arm and they went back to the truck.

"Hey guys, wake up. We are taking Ben to the nearest hospital." The three in the back awakened and Gwen asked "What happened?" and Julie panicked a little "Why, what's wrong Ben?"

"Joe wants to fix my arm."

"We HAVE to fix his arm, NOW."

Joe started the engine and got it pointed back to the rest stop. The few people that had parked and walked around the rest stop all stared as the huge, odd looking vehicle crashed out of the brush and crawled through the sand. Joe drove back over the curb and landscaping to park beside Kevin's car.

"Oh man – not my car, again." Kevin limped over to his car and saw the broken window. He inspected his car from all sides, and started it. Gwen got in and watched Kevin get in very carefully as he sat on the wound in the back of his leg. "Hurts huh, Kev?"

"A little." He pulled out to follow Joe and the others in the truck.

On the way through the next little town, Kevin stopped at a junkyard right off the highway and found a replacement window for his car. It only took him a few minutes to install it and another several minutes to clean it to perfection.

"No streaks." He smiled when he was done. Gwen was feeling a little impatient, but Kevin had no trouble catching up quickly to the others when he was done.

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In the next little town, there was an urgent care center, but no large hospital. "It will do nicely," Joe said as they pulled in.

It was still a pretty big facility in a three story building with the urgent care on the first floor, then a dozen doctors' offices on the second and surgical and recovery rooms on the top floor.

Joe parked as close as he could, but had to leave room for ambulances to get in and out in the tiny driveway. Kevin had to park three parking spaces from the truck. Plumber was left in charge of the truck.

Dr. Joe went in first and the others followed more slowly walking with Ben. His arm was hurting him so bad now, he held it pressed to his stomach and stopped twice on his way in to hug it close and close his eyes for a moment.

If Kevin hadn't been walking behind Ben and caught him, he would have gone to his knees the second time. Gwen got on his other side and they both helped him in the rest of the way.

They didn't know what story Joe told them, or arrangements he made, but they went straight to the third floor and waited while a surgical suite was set up for them.

Hospital administration arranged for two of their own staff members to assist, an anesthesiologist to monitor Ben while he was under anesthetic, and a nurse named Margaret to assist Dr. Joe.

Gwen thought it odd that they weren't asked for insurance cards, to fill out paperwork, or even for their names or ages.

Ben and the others waited in a waiting room next to surgery while they set up. Dr Joe came into the waiting room himself to set an IV catheter in Ben's right arm. No one else was around, and he did it right there in the waiting room. Before he stood up to leave he gave Ben a little something in the IV from a syringe.

"This will help with the pain and soon you will feel very relaxed. Let it work Ben-let yourself relax ok?" Ben had his eyes squeezed shut and Gwen could feel him shaking. Julie sat on his other side and held his hand.

Ben spoke without opening his eyes. "Guys, be careful while I'm out. Albedo could be anywhere. I really hate to leave you alone."

"Don't worry Ben, we can manage without you and Tetrax is nearby." Gwen still sounded a little irritated, but she was worried about him. "It's time for you to take good care of yourself, so you can be at your best when we do have to fight again."

Joe went back into surgery and found Nurse Margaret was very efficient, and already had everything set up the way he had requested.

"We are ready." Joe announced when he came back to get Ben. He was going to let Ben walk in on his own, but when he got up, he collapsed and Kevin had to catch him and carry him in to surgery across his arms.

Ben slurred his speech a little and giggled while Kevin sat him gently on the surgical table. "That's some pretty good stuff you gave me Dr. Brackenpuss"

"You like it huh? You are definitely more relaxed than when we got here." Dr. Joe and Kevin took Ben's shirt off over his head and guided him back in position on the table. Kevin took Ben's shoes and socks off and rolled them up in his shirt.

"Is Julie here? I reeeally like her you know."

Kevin smiled at him. "Ya Ben she's here, we're all gonna to watch and we all know you 'reeeally' like her."

"Would ya tell her for me?"

"Sure Ben, I'll tell her."

Nurse Margaret stopped Gwen and Julie at the doors and told them they could watch from the observation booth. They had to go back out in the hall, to the next door over and up a few stairs. There were chairs in a line and huge windows. They could see the whole surgical area below.

Kevin joined the girls in the booth and put Ben's bundled shirt and shoes on an empty chair. Julie picked up the bundle and hugged it to her chest while she watched.

"Hey Julie, Ben told me to tell you that he 'reeealy' likes you." Julie smiled and wiped tears out of her eyes. "I reeealy like him too."

They watched while Dr. Joe positioned Ben's arm and told him to leave it still. Nurse Margaret started shaving and scrubbing his arm and even she made a face and looked surprised at how bad his arm looked.

Ben said 'Ow' a couple of times while she was prepping him, but the pre-anesthetic made him feel very relaxed and soon he was feeling no pain at all.

Margaret put the heart monitor electrodes on Ben's chest and turned on the machine. The comforting, strong, regular beep could even be heard in the observation booth where his friends were waiting.

"Should we really all be in here? Maybe we should take turns watching for Albedo. I'll be back."

"Call me if there's any trouble." Gwen offered.

"Ditto."

Kevin left to walk the halls while the girls watched Joe and Nurse Margaret scrub their own hands and put on gloves. Julie fidgeted nervously and Gwen reminded her that Tetrax was watching too from the rooftop and to try not to worry.

"I am worried about his enemies, but more worried about Ben. He has been so depressed. He told me he wanted to die when we spoke before."

"I'm sure it will pass. He gets moody sometimes. Ben ran away from Grandpa and me once when we were kids when Grandpa got hurt in a fight. He blamed himself then too and now he is feeling guilty because you and Kevin got hurt."

"I just hope he is alright." Julie looked back down at Ben lying on the table looking very helpless.

[[[[[((((((((((B|e|n|1|0|A|F)))))))))))]]]]]

"Well? Come on!" Joe looked at the doors impatiently. "We are ready except for the anesthesiologist. He better get here soon." Just then the doors opened and in walked a very young guy with reddish brown hair sticking out from under his cap. He was already wearing his surgical mask too.

"Sorry Doc, got delayed." He mumbled too quietly for Gwen and Julie to hear through the intercom and sat down near Ben's head. Ben looked up at this new guy's chin as he covered his face with the oxygen mask.

Ben mumbled and with a goofy smile said, "You are me!" The anesthesiologist adjusted the oxygen flow and the gas and told Ben to breathe deeply.

In a few short moments Ben was asleep and Dr. Joe got started. Julie looked away when she saw him cutting the dead flesh away and trying to find the viable ends of the veins and arteries and muscle that had been damaged.

Dr. Joe spoke to them through the intercom. They heard him say that there was a good blood supply and everything was going ok so far. Julie thought it looked terrible and didn't believe something that looked like that could be 'ok'.

In another few minutes, Kevin came back to see what was going on, and Julie was feeling more and more impatient. "How long did he say this would take?"

"I don't think he said. He probably wouldn't have known until he saw how much damage there was. It looks like everything . . ."

Gwen stopped talking and they listened to Ben's slowing heart rate at the same time Dr. Joe noticed it. He asked the anesthesiologist, "Hey, what's going on with his heart rate? What flow rate for the anesthetic do you have him on?"

The anesthesiologist didn't answer him so Dr. Joe leaned over and checked the machines himself. "FIVE!" What's wrong with you? That is way too high-he is too deep." Joe looked closely at his face and Ben's lips looked blue under the mask, he checked another gauge.

"You moron! The oxygen is turned off! Are you TRYING to kill him?" The anesthesiologist just looked at him with big green eyes, and under the mask he was smiling. Julie, Gwen and Kevin leaned forward and put their hands on the glass trying to understand what was going on.

Joe yelled, "Do what I tell you NOW! Disconnect him - turn the gas off, turn the oxygen up all the way and blow out the line before you hook him back up!"

Joe still got no action on the part of the anesthesiologist so he broke his sterile field and went around to the machine to do it himself.

The anesthesiologist stood up and it looked like he just stepped out of Joe's way. Really he was reaching for the instruments. He pushed Margaret away from the table, grabbed a bone saw from the pack and plunged it into Ben's chest.

"No!" Kevin screamed and ran from the booth first. Dr Joe pushed the creep away, but he pushed back and they both fell. Nurse Margaret got up off the floor first and ran to Ben. She got to him as the heart monitor showed a flat line and emitted one long - eerie beep. She immediately started CPR.

"BEN!" Dr. Joe scrambled out from under his opponent and jumped up to the table with Margaret. He gave quick orders and she got him what he needed while he took over CPR. Each time he pressed on Ben's chest, more blood oozed out from around the blade that stuck out just a little lower than where he had placed his hands for compressions.

Kevin tackled the anesthesiologist as he tried to get back to Ben and in the process tore off his mask. "ALBEDO!"

He tried to kick Kevin off but he punched Albedo in the gut. Albedo fought harder and twisted out from under Kevin. He fell and cried out as Albedo brought his elbow down on his back. Kevin grabbed Albedo by an ankle and yanked him back to the floor.

It only took a few seconds to get everything ready, and once she did, Margaret took over breathing for him, she held the mask over Ben's nose and mouth and squeezed the bag to continue to use the machine to breath for him.

After delivering three deep breaths to him using the mask, she stopped long enough to intubate him. Now she could use the machine to force more oxygen straight into Ben's lungs through the tube.

Anger, fueled by fear for Ben gave Kevin enormous strength and he delivered a punch that slammed Albedo into the wall so hard the plaster caved in, his human body stunned. Gwen stepped in and enveloped Albedo in her force field.

Albedo laughed weakly and activated his Omnitrix. He went Swampfire, blew out of her energy field and blasted the counter tops and drapes that covered Ben's legs with fireballs.

Joe covered Ben with his own body when the fireball hit, Margaret jumped to put the fire out, but saw Julie was on it. She quickly grabbed another stack of surgical towels and started smothering the flames. Margaret and Joe were able to continue Ben's CPR without missing a beat.

Kevin touched the stainless steel surgical table and absorbed it up to his shoulders. He grabbed Albedo Swampfire from behind and tried to pin him down even though he knew he didn't expect to beat him.

Albedo laughed at Kevin, but at the same time Gwen pounded Albedo with energy bolts from the front and he bent over like he was defeated for a moment but then he stepped back and slammed Kevin against the countertop. Kevin refused to let go.

Albedo Swampfire's arms disappeared as he reabsorbed them and then re-grew them above Kevin's hold and shot more fireballs at Ben. Gwen got an energy bubble around Ben, Margaret and Dr. Joe just in time and the fireballs hit it and went out harmlessly.

Albedo turned into Humongousaur and slammed Kevin high against the wall with a hit from his tail. Kevin slid down the wall and landed on his stomach with the wind knocked out of him, the armor on his arms dissolved as he gasped for air.

Humongousaur made a hole in the wall as he stepped through it. As he dropped through the air outside the building from the third floor, Albedo went Big Chill and flew off. Big Chill went invisible before Tetrax saw him.

Tetrax saw the hole in the wall, and heard the commotion. He swooped down on his hover board and looked inside at the chaos.

Gwen ran to Kevin and helped him up and then they hurried to put out the other small fires that Albedo Swampfire started. Some other members of the hospital staff came to see what had happened and just stared at the destroyed room. They saw the Doctor and Nurse doing CPR for their patient.

One of the staff members that showed up tried to escort Kevin, Gwen and Julie back out, like that would make a difference to the sterile condition of the room at that point, or hide the condition of the patient. Joe heard what was going on and quickly demanded that they be left alone, but told everyone else to get out.

Dr. Joe had resorted to the defibrillation machine to try to bring Ben back. He put the paddles in place on Ben's chest and when the machine was ready he yelled 'Clear!' Margaret took her hands away and Ben's whole body jerked when Joe zapped him.

Kevin hugged both Gwen and Julie and looked up at the ceiling. A tear ran down his cheek too when Ben's heart didn't start after the first zap. Dr. Joe wasted no more time and called for Intracardiac Epinephrine. Margaret handed him a large syringe and he planted the needle up to the hub straight into Ben's heart.

Julie cried out Ben's name and tears ran down Gwen's face as she covered her mouth with her hands. Kevin looked away. "No Ben, don't leave us like this." he said quietly. Julie couldn't speak as she tried to blink away tears so she could watch. Kevin held them both tighter.

And there it was

. . . A solitary beep on the monitor, followed by another and another until Joe yelled they had "rhythm."

Now Kevin had tears running down his cheeks with the girls, because they were all so relieved, Ben still had a chance. They watched Joe work to get Ben stable and Nurse Margaret helped expertly.

"Margaret, do you have someone that can quietly type and cross match Ben's blood?"

"Yes, it is no problem." Joe drew a small vial of Ben's blood and handed it to her. She made a call and soon met someone at the door to hand it off to. Margaret and Dr. Joe took turns scrubbing again and putting on sterile gloves while the other monitored Ben.

The three sat down on the floor with Kevin in the middle, right where they had been standing and leaned back against the cabinet doors. Julie leaned her head against Kevin's shoulder and he put his arm around her.

Exhausted, Gwen relaxed on her back with her head on Kevin's leg and watched Joe. Kevin gathered both of her hands and held them over her stomach. Tetrax watched through the hole in the wall left by Albedo's escape.

The tech that took Ben's blood, returned with sacks of blood. He hung one with the other bag already dripping into Ben's IV and set another line in his neck for it. They thanked him and he left.

Joe was speaking to Margaret, but they were all listening. "I don't want to take the blade out until his blood pressure comes back up 'cause he is likely to bleed some more. His breathing is not sounding good. It may have ruptured his thoracic diaphragm. The machine will probably have to continue to breathe for him. We will give him a few minutes while I work on his arm."

Gwen, Kevin and Julie didn't like what they were hearing and watched while Dr. Joe repositioned Ben's arm where he could continue to repair it. He kept talking while he worked. Margaret nodded in understanding from time to time.

"He already lost a lot of blood on Sunday when his arm was injured during an assault. Now he is losing even more and today is only Tuesday he didn't have time to fully recover in between. His heart just stopped from an overdose of anesthetic and trauma. He is very weak, we can't afford for anything else to go wrong."

The other three listened and grew more worried as the minutes passed. Finally they heard Joe ask, "How is Ben's blood pressure now?"

"90 over 58 Doctor."

"Still a little low but much better than it was. I'm gonna need more clamps – lots more." Joe instructed as he prepared to remove the blade. Margaret was already sterile so she instructed Kevin to get her another instrument pack and showed him which one. She told him how to open it using 'sterile procedure' across Ben's lap where Dr. Joe could reach it easily.

"I'm also gonna need another one of you to monitor him and the anesthesia. He is coming out of his close call pretty well - considering, but we don't want him to completely wake up while we still have his chest open."

"But we don't know how-what if . . .?" Julie was worried. She wanted badly to help Ben, but was terrified he was going to ask her. She didn't think she could do it.

"I will tell you how-don't worry. Gwen-you do it, come on, there are clean masks and caps in those boxes on the counter."

Gwen tied her hair back, put on a cap and mask and moved over to sit on the little stool by Ben's head where she could see him under the drape. It frightened her all over again to see Ben up so close with a tube down his throat and taped in place for him to breathe through, and his eyelids taped shut.

A little melted goo ran out of the corners of his eyes from the ointment they put in them to keep them moist while under anesthetic. To Gwen, it made him look like he was crying.

She whispered, "I know you didn't mean it when you said you wanted to give up and die, Ben. Please keep fighting . . . keep fighting now like you've never fought before." Gwen reached under the drape and found his right hand to hold it.

Joe told Gwen how to monitor how deep Ben was while under anesthesia, but assured her he would be watching too. He told Margaret to get the suction and once ready he pulled the blade from Ben's chest. It made a sickening sucking sound and Gwen gasped as blood quickly filled the hole and spilled over on his skin.

Julie hugged Kevin tighter as they listened to Joe shouting orders. "Suction-more gauze-pack it off, Ooops-there's another!" Joe inserted clamp after clamp to close off anything that bled.

Once satisfied, he started repairing the damage and knitting Ben's chest closed. Nurse Margaret kept up with him like they had been working together for years.

Tetrax wasn't sure what was going on, but he knew it wasn't good. He continued to patrol around the hospital returning to the hole to look in from time to time. Everything was much quieter than it had been for a while. Kevin saw him and went over to tell Tetrax what happened.

"Ok Gwen, we will start letting him come up from the anesthesia again. I am almost done with his arm now too."

His announcement sounded very good to everyone. Gwen reduced the flow rate as Joe instructed her. Joe stitched Ben's arm back together while he slowly woke up from the anesthesia. He timed it perfectly and got the last stitch in just as Ben's fingers moved for the first time.

Joe unhooked him from the respirator and watched him breath. "He's breathing on his own!" As soon as he swallowed around the tube Nurse Margaret took it out of his throat and monitored him closely. She went back to the mask to give him some more oxygen.

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One of the other nurses braved Joe's wrath and came in to see if their patient had survived, and pretended to care about it if they needed help getting Ben ready to go to recovery.

She was an older nurse with her gray hair pulled tight into a bun under her cap and she really only wanted to find out what was going on and who they were. Tetrax hid outside behind the wall when she came in.

Joe informed her that Ben would be staying right where he was until he was awake and could travel. When they were finished with the room they would all leave together.

"Go ahead and charge my account with whatever amount the care center thinks is reasonable for the use of the room. I gave you my insurance information. They will pay for any damages."

"But what happened here? There will have to be reports written and where are this boy's parents?

Joe told her "I am Ben's dad-in fact these are all my kids." She looked at his blond hair sticking out from under his cap and then around at each of the kids. "Different Mothers." He offered to explain it.

"All nearly the same age huh? And you are not old enough to have all these teens."

"Someone very bad is after us and it is all top secret government stuff." He thought one destroyed room and one hole in their hospital was enough so he told her they would be leaving as soon as possible. "Please excuse me so I can take care of my kids and patients properly."

The nosy nurse repeated "patients? As in more than one?" and looked around at the others. She saw Kevin's blood stained back and leg and the marks on Julies face and arms. "But what kind of top secret government stuff could these KIDS be involved with?"

"Top Secret, remember?"

She put her hands on her hips, "This is all a very strange and dangerous mess you all seem to be in – I think you have endangered all of us."

Joe pulled his mask down in a huff and glared at her. She told him that the police were waiting in the hallway to talk to them. Joe said "ok, whatever" as he turned to tend to Ben more closely. The busybody nurse was still not leaving and continued to ask questions she didn't need to know about.

Kevin got up and stood very, very close to her. She turned around and found herself staring into his neck. He said nothing, but remained very close to her until she got the idea to leave.

After she was gone, Kevin stood behind Gwen while Dr. Joe checked Ben's legs where the fire burned the surgical drapes. Joe happily reported his skin was undamaged. At least one part of Ben was ok. Dr. Joe backed up and sat down on the floor and exhaled loudly.

Gwen was still sitting on the stool holding Ben's hand. Margaret gently took off the tape that held Ben's eyes closed, and then checked the machines and Ben's vitals before she rolled up all the bloody surgical drapes and towels.

Julie stepped close to the table on the other side and smoothed Ben's bangs off his face. She watched as he took each breath.

Julie dared to breathe again, and told Joe, "Thanks Doc. You were amazing, and you too Margaret."

Gwen pulled Ben's right hand to her cheek and held it there, "I can't believe Albedo did this. He snuck up on all of us, and got away. He is so devious and underhanded, and with the same alien powers as Ben - how are we going to stop him." she looked at his face hoping his eyes would open when she felt his fingers twitch again.

Kevin tensed up and his eyes got big as he looked at Gwen who just spoke about Albedo, aliens and all, and then he looked at Margaret who was standing right there cleaning the blood off and bandaging Ben's incisions.

Joe saw Kevin's panicked look, "its ok, Margaret knows."

"What? Knows what?" It was too late for Kevin to be sly.

"Margaret knows about the aliens and the Plumbers. We didn't wind up here completely by accident." Joe smiled at Kevin as he squirmed.

"Nice to meet you again, Margaret." Gwen added.

"How did Albedo get so close? How. . .?" Julie mumbled.

Kevin guessed that he must have seen where they were going and listened to the arrangements made at the desk in the emergency room. He could have been Big Chill and been invisible. Then he just replaced the real anesthesiologist. "Oh ya, Margaret, we should probably try to find the real anesthesiologist in case Albedo injured him and he needs help."

Margaret got on a phone at the wall and informed the police waiting for them, that while they waited they should be looking for the missing anesthesiologist.

Kevin got Julie a stool from the counter so she could sit by Ben. They all sat quietly for a few minutes, and listened to Ben's heart beat on the monitor. Joe got up.

"You know, if one of them comes back in here and sees that surgery is over, they are going to send everyone else in, including the cops and we can't leave yet. I think it best to avoid as many questions as possible, right?"

"Right Doc." Kevin agreed.

"So we should keep on doing surgery . . . Julie? I would like to do something for you. We are here and have the stuff. I would like to take the scar off your leg that the Forever Knight put on you."

Julie blushed and looked at the others, everyone knew about it anyway. "Are you sure? I would really appreciate it." Julie was a little reluctant to step away from Ben but walked over to Joe.

"You up for a little more fun Margaret?" she smiled and helped Julie up on the other table.

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Albedo sat hidden in a tree two blocks away from the hospital, but as Big Chill, he could still see far enough to catch a glimpse of Tetrax as he moved into the open every now and then. He knew they were watching for him to come back.

He was sure he had succeeded in killing Ben Tennyson. Knowing how fragile these stupid human bodies are, he thought he had killed him for sure.

The only problem as he saw it was that they stopped him before he was able to get the Omnitrix off Ben's dead body. He kicked himself for not just pulling Ben's arm off after he went Humongousaur but he was really not cut out for all this fighting.

"It is truly not my fault I panicked. They don't fight fair." He consoled himself.

That red haired female is stronger than I thought too. They will come out of there sometime, and I must have another plan. With Ben dead, the Omnitrix would have released from his arm. I don't know if one of the others will wear it or not, but even if they do, they won't be experienced enough with it to stop me.

"What to do-What to do. . ." he mumbled to himself.

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Julie woke up very quickly from the light anesthesia Joe gave her for a very short procedure. Now she had two small incisions, one on each thigh where he took a little skin to graft where the burn scar had been. "How are you feeling Julie?"

"Fine, how's Ben?"

"He's ok - we are just waiting for him to stabilize some more before we move him." Joe told her about the procedure and that the scars would be small and continue to fade with time. She told him how grateful she was and he helped her to sit back by Ben.

Joe called "Next" and pointed at Kevin. "I need to treat your burns again." He took off his shirt and reluctantly got on his stomach on the table Julie vacated.

"Ooooh – the table is cold!" he whined, but smiled and held still while Dr. Joe cleaned and re-bandaged his wounds.

"Now we have to figure out how to get out of here without all the questions. At least it is dark outside again." Margaret told Kevin to hang on a second and went out in the hallway. Joe went over and waved at Tetrax who hovered quickly down to the hole and stepped in.

"Can you carry Ben very gently down to our truck with Julie at the same time?" Tetrax said of course he could. Joe picked Ben up off the table and placed him across Tetrax's arms with a mask and a small tank of oxygen. He even re-shaped and smoothed his arms to support Ben's head and keep his body flatter.

"Julie, when you get down there, put him back on the oxygen."

Julie stepped up on the hoverboard and held on around Tetrax's waist as he descended and went low across the line of vehicles to their truck. Joe and Gwen piled supplies and equipment with Ben's clothes on the gurney and covered it with a sheet while Kevin watched the door.

Margaret came back with two attendants. "It's ok - they understand how important it is you get out of here without being seen. These two friends of ours will wheel the gurney out with your supplies while you go out through the hole in the wall."

"Well, there's no time like the present." The two guys left with the loaded gurney and the police didn't even look their way as they passed them. Gwen formed an energy slide that went right across the parking lot to the back of the truck below. Kevin and Joe slid down first and Gwen dissolved the slide when she landed.

Plumber wagged his tail quietly to greet them all as they came back. Tetrax placed Ben on one of the benches and flew up to be hidden in the trees. The guys put the gurney in the back and Julie put the oxygen on Ben before she unloaded the supplies between the front seats.

She and Gwen picked Ben up and placed him on the gurney before folding the legs and putting it back up on the bench. They tied it down, and then strapped Ben down so he couldn't fall off. Gwen stayed to help Julie watch over Ben, Kevin got in his car and they left quietly.

Albedo watched the whole operation from his hiding spot. "Well the Omnitrix is still on Ben Tennyson's wrist – somehow they saved his life-AGAIN! I will not fail the next time."

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To be continued . . .


	11. Chapter 11 Hero Down

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 11 [pt 1] – Hero down

By Crystalquirt

After Albedo attacked using poisonous gas and tried to take Ben's arm, the others had to get him medical help quickly or chance him losing his arm, or worse. They found an urgent care center that they thought they could keep safe, but Albedo sneaked in as part of the medical staff and attacked Ben again, nearly killing him.

Tuesday night, near midnight they sneak out of the urgent care center, drive for twelve hours and have to fight again for their lives. Violence & angst, a little romance.

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From part 10 – Assault on Ben

Julie and Gwen picked Ben up and placed him on the gurney before folding the legs and putting it back up on the bench. They tied it down, and then strapped Ben down so he couldn't fall off around the corners. Gwen stayed to help Julie watch over Ben, Kevin got in his car and they left quietly.

Albedo watched the whole operation from his hiding spot. "Well the Omnitrix is still on Ben Tennyson's wrist – somehow they saved his life-AGAIN! I will not fail the next time."

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The first time they pulled over to the side of the road, Joe pulled Ben's blankets down and hooked up his IVs. He wanted him to continue fluids and blood transfusion while they traveled. Joe also noticed how cold Ben's skin felt even though he had been covered up by three blankets.

Dr. Joe took the rest of his vitals and frowned as he applied the electrodes for the small heart monitor he 'borrowed' from urgent care to Ben's chest. He tucked Ben's arms back under the blankets and pulled them up under his chin. He also unrolled one of the sleeping bags and put that on top of him.

Julie plugged the heart monitor into the power converter behind the driver's seat and Dr. Joe turned it on. They listened to the monitor while they went down the road, but Joe still pulled over several more times, just to take Ben's vitals.

Gwen was so tired; she slept pretty well for a few hours even with the engine noise. Instead of being annoyed by the noise the heart monitor made, she was comforted by its rhythmic beeping it and had no trouble going to sleep even after it was turned on.

Tetrax followed them closely and Albedo, invisible as Big Chill followed Tetrax. By early Wednesday afternoon, Joe and Kevin were exhausted and reluctantly pulled over to sleep for a few hours.

At the huge Flying K Truck Stop, out in the middle of nowhere, the truck parking started to the side of the buildings, and back for acres away from the highway. It was in a nice area with trees and hills on all sides and nothing else for fifty miles.

The Forever Knight truck that Joe 'borrowed' from the Knights in California roared into the 'truck' parking and the vintage green muscle car parked behind it.

As Kevin got out, a short fat greasy truck driver named 'Earl' according to the nametag on his shirt, got out of his faded blue truck and approached Kevin.

"Hey! You can't park that car in the 'Truck' parking. Get it out of here!"

Kevin thought, I am really too tired to be messing around with this little weasel.

"Look Ear-l," Kevin pointed at the Forever Night vehicle, "That IS a 'truck-sized vehicle' parked in the 'truck' parking. I AM with them, and there is plenty of room left behind it for me to park here without being in anyone else's way. It is not my fault if you need a LOT more room than the 'experienced' truck drivers to turn your rig around."

Earl walked right up to Kevin and poked him in the chest. "I can turn my rig around just fine, but cars are NOT allowed out here, you have to move it!"

Kevin spoke quietly, "Look, you little runt. If you have a problem with me parking here, you can take it up with my fist." He showed the trucker the fist that wanted to discuss it with him, by putting it right under his nose.

Earl backed off and walked very quickly back to his truck without another word. Kevin walked holding Gwen's hand toward the restaurant entrance to go back to the restrooms. Half way there, Gwen stopped and pulled him to her by his shirt.

"You know, I secretly love it when you are such a brute don't ya?" she grinned at him.

"I know." He kissed her, he pressed his lips to hers while his hands explored her back and hips, and her hand's were doing the same to him, until a truck driver blew his horn at them and smiled at them while he jokingly waved them out of the road. They jogged out of the way and continued hand in hand to the restaurant.

Curious, Kevin looked back before they went in and Earl still hadn't got his faded blue 'rig' backed into a spot. The parking spot was straight behind his truck and trailer and he still couldn't hit it. As he made try after try, his rig came nowhere near where Kevin's car was parked so it obviously wasn't in the way.

"What was that all about anyway?"

"Oh ignore him Kevin. He's obviously having a rough life. Just pray you aren't on the same road at the same time that he is." Gwen giggled and took Kevin's hand again to lead him through the restaurant.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Plumber ran along in front of their truck to the landscaping near the fuel pumps and marked a few trees before he rolled around in the grass on his back, biting at dead leaves. Joe watched his dog out the windshield and wished his new friends could all be that carefree. Plumber trotted past the buildings and off to do his dog business.

Ben's vitals needed monitoring again so he went to his side. Joe found Ben's blood pressure and temperature were still low, and his heart rate was slow. Joe backed up and sat on the bench next to Julie while he listened to the heart monitor beeping along regularly, even if it was a little slow. He rubbed his eyes and held his head trying to think of what else he could do for Ben.

Julie got up and stood where Joe had been. She touched Ben's cheek gently and kissed his forehead.

"When will he wake up?" she asked without looking away from Ben.

"Don't know. We nearly lost him." she gazed at the bloody bandage covering the incision in Ben's chest. "If he goes into a coma there is no way to know at all, could be months or years."

"Coma?" she looked over at Joe and he saw her lip quivering like she might cry again.

"I'm sorry Julie, I'm just tired. I don't mean to scare you. He's still very weak and I am not happy that his vitals are still as low as they are, but try not to worry. He is a strong healthy kid, I'm sure he'll be fine."

Joe stood up and stood next to her. He told her that he was going to give Ben a bed bath and try to get him warmed up before he would let himself go to sleep.

"Do you think we can take turns sleeping so one of us will always be watching him?" Julie agreed. She was already sure she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway.

He handed her two empty, two-liter plastic soda bottles from their lunch days ago. "Could you fill these bottles with the hottest water you can get? Here's some money if they make you buy a shower to get in to the shower area." Julie left to fill the bottles and give them some privacy while Ben got a bath.

Joe took Ben's dirty sweatpants off of him and washed him down with clean cloths, hospital soap and skin lotion. He covered him up with three blankets and tucked the edges in snuggly.

"I wish the roof didn't have a giant hole in it." He said out loud as he looked up.

Gwen and Kevin met Julie going through the restaurant with the bottles. In the crowd, she quietly told them that Dr. Joe was giving Ben a bath. They were heading back anyway so they volunteered to fill the bottles and take them back while Julie went to the restrooms and got something to eat.

Kevin teased that one thing he didn't need to see was a guy bathing another guy. Gwen punched his arm. They got back quickly and Gwen waited by the truck in case Joe wasn't done with Ben yet.

Joe took the warm bottles from Kevin, wrapped each one in a small towel and slipped them between the blankets along the sides of Ben's body. Kevin also gave back the shower money that Joe had given to Julie.

Gwen volunteered to keep watch and planned to sleep some more after they got back on the road. She stood two laser lances by at the ends of the benches and others in the front seats. Then she took a couple more to the car. They were wrapped in a blanket so no one could see what she had.

Joe made the suggestion that they could all ride in the truck, then he and Kevin could take turns driving and they would never have to stop to rest. Kevin flat out refused to leave his car anywhere. He argued that the little time they would save wouldn't matter, Joe said it might. Kevin still didn't want to.

After she the weapons safely hidden in the car, she took the blanket back and tucked it back around Ben. She made sure it was snug under his chin. He still felt cold and Gwen held choked back tears as she looked at her cousin. He had come so far since he first found the Omnitrix and set the forest on fire. They both had and now, seeing him like this was hard to take.

Before Julie went back to the others, she went to sit in the trucker's lounge and called her Aunt. She told her that her friend was in a car accident back home and she got a ride back to go see him. "I will visit you again real soon though, Auntie." Then she hurried back to be near Ben in case he would wake up soon.

This truck stop was very busy since it was the only thing for miles. There were cars and trucks pulling in and out the whole time they had been there so far. Gwen hoped all the activity would keep Albedo from attacking for at least a while.

Gwen opened the truck's hood and went about checking fluids and then the tires pressure as she kept watch. She hadn't seen Tetrax yet, but thought she probably wouldn't since the place was so busy. He would be keeping himself hidden, but nearby. Kevin was busy doing the same on his car and afterwards took out a dust cloth and did the inside.

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Tetrax followed a concrete-lined waterway and stayed behind the trees around the truck stop. There were so many people here wandering around, and going farther off the property than in other places they stopped that Tetrax was almost seen by people walking their dogs. So he moved farther back into the wooded area behind the truck parking.

An invisible Necrofriggian sat on the edge of the convenience store roof overlooking the parking lot. He gazed across at the truck containing his enemy.

"What to do . . . what to do?" he hissed.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Gwen got finished checking the truck and joined Kevin in the back seat of his car. They could watch the truck and talk without bothering the others trying to sleep.

"Kevin, what are we going to do? I think you're right about how Albedo got in and attacked us at the hospital. To find out where we were and what we were doing he would have had to been invisible as Big Chill. Albedo could be right here and we would never see him."

"Here Gwen, I have something right here for you to play with while I take a nap."

Gwen glared at him expecting him to make some crude joke about his anatomy. She felt a little annoyed as she waited for him to explain himself.

Out from under the driver's seat in front of him, using two fingers on the end of one of the strings, he pulled out a surgical mask. "Here you go."

"What . . . something to remember the most traumatic time of Ben's life with?"

"No. It's the one that Albedo wore. Can't you use it to find him even if he is in alien form or invisible?"

"I'll try it. Thanks Kevin!" She gave him a 'quick' kiss on the cheek before she started to go sit up front so he could lie down. He caught her by the hand and wouldn't let her go.

He faked an accent, "No 'quickies' with you – with you, it is only 'longies'."

Gwen slid gracefully back in the car. She reached up and put her hand along his strong jaw like she had captured him to guide him to where she wanted him. Kevin leaned back and pulled her close. He lifted her with both hands around her waist so she would glide up his chest.

Once he had her on top of him he wrapped his strong arms around her and pressed his lips to hers in a long, lingering deep kiss. When their lips finally parted Gwen opened her eyes and looked into his eyes. Kevin looked happy, but so tired. "You better get some sleep." She hugged him and went to sit in the front seat for a while.

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Joe went to sleep quickly on the other bench in the back of the truck across from Ben. Julie was on top of her sleeping bag on the floor nearest to Ben. She was too upset to sleep. The word 'coma' kept repeating in her head.

She got back up and smoothed Ben's hair and held his hand while she watched him breath. Gently putting her hand on Ben's chest in between the electrodes, she lingered, feeling comforted by his heart beating in rhythm with the beeps on the monitor.

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Albedo ran some scenarios through his Galvan mind. Like going Humongousaur to tear Ben out through the side of the truck and just rip his arm from his body. But he knew they were armed and wasn't sure he wanted to be shot with a laser lance even as a Humongousaur.

Spidermonkey would be fast and tie the other's up in webbing before he chewed Ben's arm off. Eweee, that grossed him out a little.

All he knew right now was that he was invisible and could sneak up on them without being seen. He could move around among them and they would never know. "But what to do then?" he hissed and scared birds that were sitting on the roof with him.

Ben was the only one that didn't get out of the truck since they got there so Albedo reasoned that he was too hurt to be up moving around and the others were taking care of him. Albedo felt a little more satisfied knowing that he had seriously hurt him. If he was still unconscious, he wouldn't even be able to put up a fight.

Albedo thought about remaining invisible and intangible and just taking Ben. It would look like Ben just vanished to anyone watching and he suspected they were all sleeping and wouldn't be watching anyway. Then he could get him away from the others and take his time to torture him enough to make him pay for what he did to him.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Gwen's eyes began to glow as she concentrated on finding Albedo. The intense pink swirled over her eyes making them look solid pink and her view of the world changed like it always did. She could still see everything as though veiled, with a pink film that made things look very clear and sharp. The mana revealed much more to her than she could see with her human eyes alone.

For a few minutes, she stayed in the car and scanned carefully, like she was practicing. Then she put her hoodie on, got out and walked over between the restaurant entrance and their vehicle. Other people just walked past her, not even noticing her glowing eyes.

Only one little girl noticed her eyes and smiled at Gwen. She pulled on her mother's hand to get her to look too, but the mother just mumbled angrily and dragged her quickly along behind her to the restrooms.

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The pink swirls she saw concentrated in an area next to the vending machines. From there, she followed thin streaks resembling ribbons through the air up to the roof and saw another concentrated area right at the edge where Albedo had spent some more time.

Gwen's heart started beating faster. The mana was telling her that this was Albedo's trail, he was already there. She frowned and felt her fear and anger rising. She gripped the surgical mask tighter and concentrated harder as she looked carefully in the sky. Even though there was a cold breeze, the mana trail was not affected by it. For wind to blow it around it would have to have some kind of solidity or substance and the pure energy of mana didn't.

She found the trail again, and frowned when she saw a pink stream like a ribbon go from the concentrated area on the roof, leading back out toward their truck! She swallowed the lump in her throat as she jogged under the mana trail to the truck. Sure enough the trail went out of her view over the top of the truck.

Gwen readied her mana for battle and using both hands slammed the back doors open. At first it looked like Ben was levitating over the gurney. As she intensified the mana around her she made out glowing pink outlines of a Necrofriggian lifting Ben off the gurney.

Joe had awakened when the doors slammed and was staring at Gwen wondering what was wrong. Julie was lying in an awkward position face down in between the front seats. Albedo hit her from behind while she was staring at Ben.

When he saw Gwen, Albedo panicked and dropped Ben back on the gurney. Gwen screamed at him and fired handfuls of mana. He was already tangible and with her attack he became visible. Joe came up off the bench feet first and knocked Albedo Big Chill back toward Gwen then he reached down and pulled Julie up on the bench.

Joe reached under the bench and the first thing he grabbed was a can of carburetor cleaner. He aimed and sprayed it at the alien while Gwen had him trapped in a heavy ribbon of mana. Albedo tried to vanish again, but couldn't do it in the fog of carburetor cleaner. Gwen held him with one hand and fired energy at him with the other.

A crowd had started to gather behind the truck to watch. With all the people around, Kevin awakened when he heard the commotion in front of his car. He decided against using the laser lance he grabbed and just ran to Gwen empty handed.

Gwen was firing unmercifully at Albedo. He was surprised and remained frozen from fear with his arms crossed in front of him like he was protecting himself. Albedo gathered enough fear-generated energy to use his Omnitrix and turn into Echo Echo.

He aimed his sonic scream at Gwen and busted out of her energy field. Joe, even though he was behind him, in such close quarters he still covered his ears trying to get away from the pain. The small crowd that gathered ran in all directions screaming.

Gwen tried to fight the pain and fired off three more energy bolts, but soon covered her ears and cried out in pain as she was totally engulfed by Echo Echo's sonic scream. She went to her knees just as Kevin got close enough to feel the effects of the sonic scream too. He covered his ears and ran to her anyway to try to shield her from the attack.

Tetrax came out as soon as he heard battle sounds. No longer caring if someone saw him, he hovered in front of the truck. He fired diamond shards through the windshield and they hit their mark. Albedo Echo Echo stopped screaming as the shards embedded themselves into his back. Kevin recovered from the scream first and ran at him.

He yanked Albedo out of the truck. When he landed Kevin punched him hard enough to mash him into the asphalt. Albedo Echo Echo changed back into Big Chill and went intangible to get out from under Kevin. Gwen was still on the ground with her eyes squeezed shut. He ran over to Gwen and helped her up.

Joe's ears were still ringing when he jumped up to Ben's side. Everything looked ok, bandages, IVs no new injuries. Julie moaned and sat up holding her head. "You ok Julie?" He hooked the heart monitor back up and began to take Ben's other vitals.

"I'm fine. What happened?"

"Albedo happened."

"Oh no." She got up and watched Joe, anxiously awaiting his findings about Ben's condition.

As soon as Albedo Big Chill turned solid again, Tetrax slammed into him at full speed on his hover board. He hung on the front of the board for an instant and they both landed out in the turn lane where semi trucks were exiting. When the two battling aliens landed in the lane, the trucks stopped and the drivers abandoned them.

Albedo Big Chill froze Tetrax in a block of ice. Tetrax immediately busted his arm out and fired diamond shards that went right through his enemy. Big Chill covered Tetrax with more ice as Gwen and Kevin ran across the parking lot toward them.

With Tetrax temporarily helpless, Big Chill flew quickly back to an abandoned, idling semis and turned back into Albedo Ben in the driver's seat. He laughed wickedly and stomped on the accelerator. The bobtailing semi truck lurched forward and picked up speed quickly without a load.

It jerked and swerved as Albedo Ben missed most of the gears as he shifted. But it still picked up enough speed that when it hit the large chunk of ice with Tetrax in it, ice and diamond shards flew all over the parking lot.

"Tetrax!" Gwen screamed. There was nothing left of him bigger than a diamond in a wedding ring. Albedo turned into Jetray and exited the now runaway truck through the windshield. Broken glass sprayed the side of the cliff as the truck fell and exploded on impact.

Albedo Jetray flew back and dived at Gwen. Kevin grabbed her and hugged her close as they rolled out of the way. Gwen looked over sadly once again at the pile of ice and Tetrax shards before she gave Kevin's hand a squeeze in thanks and got up.

Kevin jumped up and ran for the car to get weapons before Albedo Jetray's next pass, but he changed direction when Gwen brought Albedo down in her energy lash and slammed him to the pavement.

Now he ran at Albedo intending to give him a good pounding. Kevin was trying to follow Dr. Joe's orders and had not armored up, but he still fought with the attitude that he was indestructible. He kicked Albedo Jetray and knocked him back down when he tried to get up.

In a flash, Albedo changed into Brainstorm and leapt on Kevin. He fell backwards and hit his head on the pavement. The large crustacean landed on top of him. Albedo Brainstorm got his pincher around Kevin's neck and held him down.

Kevin screamed in anger and threatened Albedo as he tried to pull the pincher open with his hands while he kicked wildly. From in the truck, Joe heard Kevin screaming and ran to them to try to help somehow.

Julie grabbed one of the laser lances and started to follow, but didn't want to leave Ben. Julie stayed behind the truck and watched from there for an opportunity to help the others.

The only surface he could reach, Kevin touched the asphalt and used it for armor even though he knew it was going to hurt. It felt like the rocks in the asphalt were grinding right into the flesh around his wounds. "Sorry Doc!" he thought, as he gritted his teeth.

Too lazy to mock Ben's battle cry, Albedo Brainstorm simply yelled "Feel - THIS!"

The part of his exoskeleton that made up his cranium opened. Gwen saw it coming and screamed for Kevin as she ran at them firing mana balls at Brainstorm. The electrolocutive power that erupted from his brain enveloped Kevin, deflected Gwen's energy attack and threw her back.

Under the heat generated from the electric attack Kevin's asphalt armor began to bubble and crack. The material from his clothing smoked as it burned to shreds in the hot layer of armor. He could feel the heat and the shocks from the attack, but somehow his skin was still being partly protected.

Kevin panicked, not knowing how long his thin layer of protection would last, or how long he would be able to keep fighting. He cried out for help and let go of the pincher that had grabbed his neck to punch whatever he could reach. He couldn't hit anything with enough force to have an effect on Brainstorm.

Brainstorm Albedo laughed at his helpless victim as he inserted his first pair of sharp-tipped legs in the cracks across Kevin's stomach to pry his armor from his body like an old-fashioned can opener. As his armor was peeled off his skin the electricity continued to run all over his body making him convulse uncontrollably.

Gwen forced herself to stand again to try to help Kevin. She threw more energy balls and threw a heavy lash, like a whip to try and knock Brainstorm off of him. All of her attacks dissolved or were harmlessly reflected away by Brainstorm's electrolocutive power. When she tried to get closer, she was thrown back again with Joe.

Kevin screamed as his body armor was ripped from his skin leaving bright red, raw lines where it had cracked. His torso, one shoulder and his stomach were already unprotected. Desperate, he kicked wildly until Albedo Brainstorm intensified his electrolocutive power even more.

Instead of dissolving, the rest of his armor crumbled and fell away under the force of Brainstorm's attack. Now he was left completely unprotected, and his human body jerked involuntarily with each wave of electrolocutive power. He was too weak to fight back anymore.

Gwen and Joe landed on the pavement three parking spots away. They jumped to their feet and Gwen screamed as she helplessly watched Kevin writhing in pain under his attacker.

Albedo kept pouring the power over Kevin until he moved no more. Once satisfied he had won, he closed his cranium and grinned his big silly-looking alien grin at his motionless victim.

The silent moment that followed was eerie. It was like time stood still. The silence was broken by a sound like what a very hot fire in a furnace makes.

Joe ran behind a semi truck and trailer parked nearby. He moved along behind trucks and trailers, waiting for the right moment to get over to Kevin.

The energy that enveloped Gwen spewed bits of power that looked like pink sparks and black streaks swirling around her. Gwen's hair glowed white and whipped around her head as though there was a strong wind. Her clothes were no longer visible, but neither was her body. She was still shaped mostly like a human, but her body was made up of dark, purple pure energy.

Brainstorm picked Kevin up and shook him just to make sure there was no fight left in him. He opened his pincher and let Kevin fall limply back to the pavement. Albedo Brainstorm turned to face Gwen. Brainstorm's cranium started to open again, electrolocutive power surges snapping toward her.

As Brainstorm turned to pay attention to Gwen, Joe took a chance and ran to Kevin. He grabbed him under his arms and pulled him back under a flatbed trailer loaded with stacks of plywood. "Kevin!" He called and slapped his cheeks. Kevin didn't respond. The 'Doc' noted quickly, his patient was unconscious, breathing fast and shallow and his heart beating irregularly and very fast.

Dr. Joe hurried to examine Kevin. The only new injuries visible were red marks around Kevin's neck from the pincher, the lines where the armor cracked on his skin and the re-injured wounds on his back and leg. What was left of Kevin's clothing was in tatters and just hung around him like rags. Joe checked his pulse again and felt his skull carefully. The back of Kevin's head was warm and wet with blood. He took his jacket off and rolled it up to put it under Kevin's head.

Gwen hovered in mid-air a few meters in front of Brainstorm, unaffected now by his 'electrolocutive power'. It looked like she was actually absorbing it. She let her mana build, and then all at once, she pushed her hands out toward a trailer sitting unhooked from a truck.

The trailer flew at Brainstorm and connected with his cranium before he could get out of the way. He rolled under it in a mass of pinchers and electric waves until the trailer came to rest on top of him. The trailer flew into the air again as Albedo Brainstorm exploded out from under it in a wave of electrolocutive power and charged Gwen.

An explosion of pink and black swirling energy shot from her hands and exploded in a sparkly, swirly cloud around the crustacean. When the cloud dissipated, Cerebrocrustacean was sprawled on his back like a crab being picked apart by seagulls.

Gwen's feet touched down lightly on the ground and her skin and hair returned to normal. She took a deep breath and realized her hands were shaking. Gwen scanned the area for Albedo and saw him lying motionless halfway across the parking area. She wasn't very clear about what had happened, but she did remember what happened to Kevin. Gwen felt a little weak and stumbled as she ran to him.

"Joe! Is he . . .?" she dropped to her knees next to Kevin.

"He's alive. I don't know how exactly. That was a powerful electric attack. Has he ever lost his armor like that before?"

"No, I d-don't think so!" Gwen's voice was shaking. She found Kevin's hand and held it to her cheek, unsure how to help.

Dr. Joe parted Kevin's eyelids and looked into his eyes. "There's no way of knowing how that attack and having his armor ripped from him like that might have injured him. Without his armor, I'm sure the electricity alone would have killed him.

"Let's roll him over. Gwen helped roll Kevin toward her. His torso rested against her legs while Joe checked his back. His leg was bleeding a lot again. The bullet hole was ripped open even larger than it had been when Dr. Joe first dug the bullet out.

"Oh man, look at what he did to himself!" Joe applied pressure with his bare hands to Kevin's bleeding leg. He has survived a terrible attack. Let's get him back to . . ."

"Get down!" Joe looked out from under the truck and saw Albedo Swampfire right before he blasted a huge fireball with both hands at them. The fireball hit the plywood stacked on the trailer above their heads and the wood exploded in flames.

Gwen ducked and covered Kevin with her own body. The heat was intense right away and they shielded their faces while they pulled Kevin out from under the burning trailer.

When they had him far enough away, Gwen shut her eyes for a moment to squeeze out her tears and when she opened them again, they glowed. This time it was a very dark, almost red, pink. She reluctantly got up to leave Kevin, but she knew Joe would care for him.

She came out from behind the burning trailer and saw Big Chill putting the trailer fire out.

"Why is he putting the fire he just started out? Who cares! I will finish him this time!"

Her hair turned white as her feet came off the ground, her hands began to glow pink. She fired a blast at Big Chill and he was too slow to avoid it. It exploded against his back and knocked him out of the air.

"That was too easy." She observed, and as she rose higher in the air to fly at her fallen enemy, she saw a very frozen Swampfire lying on the pavement out in the turn lane amongst the diamondhead shards.

She gasped in horror and screamed, "But? NO! - BEN!" she lost her concentration and landed on her feet again as her hair went back to its lovely red color. "HELP! I shot Ben!" No-No-No!

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Julie was watching over Ben while the battle in the parking lot raged. Julie cringed and was afraid to look out when she heard Kevin screaming. She squeezed Ben's hand tighter trying to think of something she could do to help them. Ben whispered, "Julie" and his eyes fluttered open.

She could barely contain her joy, even with the other's fighting for their lives. Tears of happiness ran down her cheeks as she looked at him.

"Ben? . . . Are you back with us?"

"Ow, did I leave?"

"Ya, you've been gone a little while." Julie picked up his head and kissed his cheek before pressing her lips to his. "I really missed you."

He returned her kiss weakly and smiled at her. "I didn't mean to leave you. Arrrhg." He tried to hold where his chest hurt, and only hurt his arm as he tried to move it.

"My arm still hurts, and my chest, and just - Ow! Why does my chest hurt?"

She didn't have time to answer him as he put his head back; they heard Gwen screaming for Kevin.

"What's going on out there?" he asked as he tried to sit up.

"No Ben - stay down. You were hurt seriously."

"But . . ."

"Albedo is fighting Gwen and Kevin, and Joe is out there too."

Ben pressed his right arm against his chest as he sat up. He tried to see out the back doors, ignoring Julie's instructions to stay down. He scooted to the edge of the gurney.

"I gotta go help them!" he looked down.

" . . . and why am I naked?" but he was too weak to really care, and it sounded like his friends were in trouble. His attention went back to helping them.

"They need help!" Julie tried to stop him, but he ignored her. "I'm going - get back." He slid off the gurney and the electrodes came off as he pulled out the IV's. Ben took a step away from her before slapping the Omnitrix and going Big Chill.

He lifted off with great effort and she could already hear him breathing hard as she watched him fly off. Her tears had gone from tears of joy to tears from fear so fast, she had to sit down she was so confused.

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"BEN!" Gwen yelled again as she ran toward the Big Chill that could only be Ben. He had fallen on the pavement with his wings crumpled around his body. Ben's injured arm was still obvious from Big Chill's misshapen wing.

When Big Chill turned back into human Ben, he was on his side gasping for air and holding his chest with one arm while his other rested limply on the pavement. He had a basketball-sized red circle on his back where Gwen's energy blast struck him.

Gwen took off her hoodie and covered up his most exposed naked parts as she sat on the ground by him and pulled his torso up in her lap. She held him close and her tears fell on his cheek as he tried to breathe.

"Ben! I am so sorry! I thought you were Albedo! Please be ok! Please be ok!" Ben couldn't speak he was so out of breath but he squeezed her hand and tried to smile at her as he gasped for air.

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Joe heard Gwen call for help and picked Kevin up to take him to her and find out what happened. As he picked him up across his arms Kevin woke up kicking in panic and the both fell to the ground.

"Kevin!"

"Oh man - Sorry Joe. Ow - I have a major case of road rash don't I?"

"You have more than 'road rash', I am just glad you woke up at all." they could hear sirens coming in the background and Gwen screamed again.

"We better scram."

"But your hurt Kevin – can you drive?"

"You bet I can."

They came around the front of the smoldering truck and Kevin exclaimed, "Look Ben's up! Or at least he was - he seems to be back down again."

"Oh no! What is Ben doing out here!"

Gwen was still holding Ben in her arms and crying into his shoulder. He was still gasping for breath with his eyes squeezed shut. She looked up as Joe and Kevin came near.

"Please, help him! I didn't mean to shoot him!"

"You shot him?" Dr. Joe glanced at his red back before he picked Ben up and ran back to the truck. Gwen helped Kevin back to his car, hugged him tight and then ran back to the truck to check on Ben. Kevin watched her go, he understood her haste.

On the way, she saw that the giant ice cube that contained Albedo Swampfire was gone. Nothing left but a puddle in the middle of the diamondhead shards that were all that was left of their friend.

The people that had been hiding behind cars were starting to come out and look around. Most were staring at the kids that seemed to be the instigators of all the chaos. The burned truck and trailer were still smoking and the truck that went off the cliff started a brush fire that was filling the sky with smoke and casting an eerie light over the truck stop.

Joe put Ben back on the gurney and jumped in the front seat. Julie's hands were shaking as she forced herself to keep it together to help Ben. She took over preparing him for travel and covered him back up with the blankets.

She and Gwen got a couple of straps on him as they started to leave the parking lot. Joe moved his head around trying to find the best place in the truck's broken windshield to look out through. He pulled out to enter the highway with Kevin's car right behind them.

Julie got the oxygen mask out and turned the tank on before holding it over Ben's face. He was still having a lot of trouble catching his breath. With every breath he strained against the pain he felt in his chest.

Julie watched him throw his head back and roll his shoulders forward as she tried to keep the mask over his face. He gritted his teeth as he pressed his arm against his chest. He looked at Julie with frightened eyes that communicated everything without a word.

"Ben – I know it hurts - but try to relax, breath slower." She could swear she could feel his pain right along with him. "Don't fight it."

Gwen watched Ben too, but had to sit down, and Julie saw how pale she looked too. "Did you get hurt out there Gwen?"

"No, I just used a lot of energy and I can't believe I shot him. Ben? Please forgive me, please be ok!"

"You couldn't have known that Ben was out there. It isn't your fault. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen to me."

Gwen closed her eyes to squeeze out the tears that were still filling her eyes. Mana streamed into the truck from the living plants and trees that they drove by. She was learning to gather energy even without a teacher. They passed a line of emergency vehicles with lights and sirens heading back to the truck stop without anyone paying them any attention. Kevin took a deep breath and blinked as he tried to focus on the road.

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[To be continued . . .]

*Quicky and Longie kiss quote from "Love at First Bite," with George Harrison.


	12. Chapter 112 Hero Rising

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 11 [pt 2] – Hero Rising

By Crystalquirt

Tuesday night, near midnight they sneaked out of the urgent care center, drove for twelve hours and had to fight again for their lives. They barely escaped before the emergency units showed up at the truck stop after the battle. Tetrax was no longer around, and Albedo escaped again. The crazed Galvin had flown away in a panic and had lost them. So it seems like they are really going to finally get some rest. A little angst, a little romance.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

From part 11 [pt 1] – Hero Down

"You couldn't have known that Ben was out there. It isn't your fault. I tried to stop him, but he wouldn't listen to me."

Gwen closed her eyes to squeeze out the tears that were still filling her eyes. Mana streamed into the truck from the living plants and trees that they drove by. She was learning to gather energy even without a teacher. They passed a line of emergency vehicles with lights and sirens heading back to the truck stop without anyone paying them any attention. Kevin took a deep breath and blinked as he tried to focus on the road.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

As soon as they could no longer hear sirens and they had put some distance behind them Joe pulled off the road onto a four wheel drive trail. He drove all the way around the nearest hill and stopped out of sight of the highway.

Joe unfastened his seatbelt in a hurry and got to Ben's side. "Gwen, do you feel well enough to go help Kevin get over here?"

"Ya."

"Let me know if you need me, I'll come right over." Gwen got out and went back to the car. Kevin was slumped over with his head on the steering wheel. Gwen saw the blood in his hair.

"Kevin? Your head!"

"Ya – I'm ok." He leaned back blinking and holding his head. Gwen reached passed him and shut the car's engine off. He didn't seem coordinated enough to get out of the car. "Are you sure you're ok? You look terrible. How did you drive feeling like this?"

"That Albedo creep can't take out this t-tough guy."

Kevin objected weakly as she lifted his injured leg out and helped him stand. "I can do it." She saw all the blood on the driver's seat and thought about how mad he was going to be when he saw it. He held on to her as she helped him to the truck.

Julie helped them get up in the truck by holding onto Kevin's other arm. The girls pulled and pushed Kevin up and guided him to sit on the bench. He leaned back and closed his eyes. Gwen sat next to him and held his hand in both of hers as she surveyed his new wounds. She rolled up a surgical towel and placed it to apply pressure under his wounded thigh where it was still seeping blood.

Dr Joe saw that Ben's eyes were closed and he was still having trouble breathing even with the oxygen. "Ben, can you hear me?"

Ben strained to answer "Can't . . . breathe." without opening his eyes. "Chest . . . hurts."

"I know Ben, but you're gonna be ok. Hang on . . . try to breathe deeply and slower. What are you doing using your powers so soon after surgery? You could have been killed!"

"Guys . . . needed a h-hand."

Dr. Joe smiled at Ben and told him to relax. He had finished taking his vitals. "Hey Ben your temp and blood pressure are still low, and now you're breathing as fast as a hummingbird. I need you to do what I tell you for a change."

Dr. Joe looked for the IV catheters that used to be in Ben's arm and neck, but couldn't even find either one. He hung a fresh blood bag and started to set another IV.

"Why . . . that? No . . . p-please!" Ben panted.

"Yes you still need this." While he spoke, Joe was putting a new IV line in his arm in spite of Ben's objections and gave him an injection through it before he hooked him back up to fluids. Ben watched with big eyes and tried to slow his breathing.

"That will help you feel better and so will the fluids." Then he rolled him gently on his side to check his back. There was a light burn, but the skin wasn't broken. Joe felt Ben breathing a little easier and relax as he rubbed ointment on his back. He let him back down to lie flat and took the dirty bandages off his chest and arm for Gwen to clean his incisions while he tended to Kevin.

Joe took Ben's vitals every fifteen minutes for an hour. While he was tending to Kevin, he saw Ben frowning and gritting his teeth in pain when he thought no one was looking at him. Joe drew another little something into a syringe and put it through Ben's IV line. When Ben felt someone close to him he opened his eyes and saw Joe giving him something.

"What was that?"

"For the pain. You'll be able to sleep better."

"No Doc, no more – I don't wanna be drugged. What if we are attacked again?"

"If we are attacked again now, we are screwed – no really – you and Kevin are not in any condition to fight, and you are in no condition to even get up and walk around."

"Ya Ben, you will have to leave things to me, Julie and Joe." Gwen added.

In between tending to Ben, he treated Kevin. Joe took the rest of his torn clothes off of him. All he was left with were the truck stop boxers with Tweety Bird on them. As Kevin watched, he thought the one thing they needed on this trip were more clothes. They had all gone through a full wardrobe since the fire destroyed everything they had brought on the trip with them.

Joe promised he would stop at the next place that sold clothing of any kind. "There is probably a hospital gown in here someplace if you want that in the meantime." Kevin said, "No thanks." Joe cleaned his wounds and put new bandages over his back and leg. He put one around his head to cover where Kevin banged his head on the pavement. Dr. Joe had him follow his finger while he watched his eyes.

"Kevin how many fingers am I holding up?"

"Eleven."

"Right, you are such a big pain."

"Thanks. Doc, I am fine, nothing wrong a little sleep won't fix." Joe asked him a couple more questions about how he was feeling while Gwen soaked a clean cloth with warm water from a thermos.

"You don't get anything for pain until I am sure your head is ok." Joe told him. Kevin said "I don't need anything anyway."

Ben answered, "Has Kevin's head ever been completely 'ok'?" he smiled, but his eyes were still closed. Gwen leaned over and looked closely at him. He was breathing much easier now. She used the warm wet cloth to wipe the dirt off of his face and right arm. Then she turned around to get a clean cloth and dampen it to clean around his incisions.

Julie smiled at Ben and stepped back over to him. She smoothed his hair off his face and leaned down to kiss his forehead. Ben purred like a kitten when she started gently rubbing his temples with her fingertips. He relaxed even more and breathing sounded normal.

Gwen gently cleaned around the incision on Ben's chest and made him squirm a little. "Owch." He opened his eyes and smiled at her. "Why does my chest hurt?" he asked again.

"We had a little complication while Joe was doing the surgery on your arm. Didn't Julie tell you?"

"He didn't give me time."

Gwen offered, "Let me tell him."

Ben looked worried as he lifted his head to look at Gwen. "What happened?"

"Albedo got into surgery with us, posing as the anesthesiologist. We came closer to losing you than any of us wants to think about."

"Oh no! I-I was afraid something like that would happen, was anybody hurt?"

Gwen smiled weakly at him "No Ben, everyone is ok. Remember to breath slowly, relax." Julie guided his head back and stroked his hair, rubbed his temples to try and keep him relaxed. He tried to remember to breath, relieved that Albedo didn't hurt anyone.

Gwen told him a few more details about Albedo's attack in the hospital and how he got away. Ben put his right hand up and traced the incision on his chest with his fingers while she spoke. She didn't tell him anything she thought he wouldn't have to know. Like his heart actually stopping.

Gwen finished, "Albedo got away again just now at the truck stop. I noticed he was gone when we were loading up to get out of there."

Julie grabbed a roll of toilet paper and excused herself to go find a tree to pee under. Joe went out to walk with Plumber. Kevin turned on his side and stuffed a folded blanket under his head. Now that they were alone, Gwen told him. "I am so sorry I shot you. I feel terrible."

"Well don't feel bad, you didn't know and I am fine. Next time I will announce myself, or let Kevin draw on me with a pen."

"I still think that would have been a good idea. Maybe we should get you a tattoo." Kevin smirked. Gwen picked up Ben's injured arm and started cleaning more of the dirt from his skin as he continued.

"Thanks for what you said before, Gwen. I did lose sight of what we are doing here and how important you all are to whether or not we succeed. I was making it all about me and blaming myself for everything that happened. Our fate doesn't depend just on me and I have no right to give up no matter how rough it gets. I hope you guys will accept my help."

"We accept. It seems like you're feeling better about that stuff huh?"

Ben smiled at her and shut his eyes again while she cleaned gently around the incisions on his Omnitrix arm and chest.

"Hey Gwen, when your done with Ben, I'm next. I think I got a little dirt right here." Kevin pointed under the blanket. Gwen threw the cloth at him and it landed on his face. "You can take care of your own dirt." Gwen dug through their pile of stuff under the benches and found their sleeping bags and more blankets.

Julie came back and stood by Ben. She continued gently running her fingers through his hair and rubbing his temples. It felt so good, he fell asleep. She pulled his blankets up around his neck and tucked in the edges. She helped Gwen spread their sleeping bags on the floor and Gwen put Kevin's over him and gave him a kiss.

"You guys call me if you need me – for anything - if Ben hiccups I want to hear about it!" they all agreed. Joe went back to Kevin's car and went to sleep. Julie and Gwen slept on the floor and had no trouble going to sleep this time.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Albedo panicked when he was frozen by the sneak attack by Ben Tennyson and now he was trying to rationalize it.

"It is just like him to attack from behind. They ganged up on me. It is not my fault they cheated. I lost them, I lost Ben and his gang of miscreants. I had to get away."

After Albedo as Swampfire blasted out of his ice cube. He went Jetray and flew very far - very fast out of fear.

Now he was walking along the road somewhere, in the sun trying to warm himself up. His own Omnitrix was malfunctioning and wouldn't activate again. A man in an old pickup stopped and asked him if he was hitchhiking, Albedo didn't understand 'hitchhiking', so he driver reworded it, "do you need a ride?"

"Yes! I have important business to take care of and a 'ride' would help me reach my objective."

The man rolled his eyes and waited for him to get in before continuing on to the next town.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Ben moaned quietly and opened his eyes in the dark. He really had to pee, right now. When his eyes adjusted he could see in the moonlight that the bags Joe last had dripping into him were almost empty.

He blushed and put his right arm over his eyes when he realized it had been a very long time since surgery, and he was pretty sure he would have had to pee at least a few times before now, and someone must have been cleaning him up.

Ben cringed and hoped that it was Dr. Joe tending to him and not Gwen, or worse, Julie. He smiled when he pictured Kevin trying to do it and could almost hear the 'diaper changing' jokes. That vision was not one he wanted to see again, even in his imagination.

Now that he had been thinking about it for several more minutes he really, really had to pee. There was a full moon straight overhead and the light came in the hole in the roof. He could see well enough to find the lines connected to his IV's. Ben disconnected himself and closed them off like he had seen Dr. Joe do it. As he tried to work quickly, he found he couldn't make a fist with his left hand yet.

Ben didn't want to step on Julie as she slept on the floor by him so he started to scoot to the end of the gurney to get down. With effort, he silenced a groan and clutched his chest with his right hand until a spasm passed.

The others had done enough for him, he thought. He didn't want to wake someone up just to help him go pee. He braced himself and slid down until his toes touched the floor. He then realized he was still naked. I will have to talk to them about the lack of clothing on this cruise, he thought. Ben took one of the blankets off the gurney with him wrapped around his shoulders.

It was cold out and he went only as far away from the truck as he dared, just until he thought he was far enough away that they couldn't see or hear him. On the other side of a pile of rocks in a waterway, the first small tree that looked like it needed watering became his target.

What a relief! He sighed. Just being emptier made him feel much better. It was cold, but he was in no hurry to go back in and take a chance on waking them. Ben backed up and sat on a rock with the blanket wrapped tightly around his body.

He felt the incision on his chest again and remembered how lucky he was to have such good friends so willing to protect him. Either way, if he had not put the Omnitrix back on, or even put it on in the first place, his friends and family might have been spared a lot of suffering. He realized he was going to his 'dark place' again and changed his thinking.

Or they all might have been enslaved by now by whatever alien threat might have gotten the upper hand on the planet without him being around. He and his little band had saved many lives and prevented disasters pretty regularly. That thought made him smile.

From the position of the moon, it must be about two in the morning. He pulled the blanket around his shoulders tighter. As he gazed at the moon, he thought about Tetrax and wondered why he hadn't seen him, not even in the battle or since he woke up at all. He thought about calling him, but didn't want to wake anyone.

After he sat a few more minutes, the throbbing in his arm was demanding more of his attention and his chest was really starting to hurt. I guess Joe was right. I shouldn't be walking around or even sitting up. He decided to try to get back on the gurney quietly. Ben got up slowly and wrapped the blanket tighter.

He turned and out of the corner of his eye saw someone standing behind him. He startled, lost his footing and landed on his butt in the sand. "NO!" Ben cringed and pulled his left arm tight across his stomach and his other across his chest.

"Ben!" Julie whispered and kneeled down next to him.

"Julie! You just about scared me to death!" he panted and made sure the blanket still covered whatever part of him needed covering the most.

"Sorry! Are you ok?" Julie felt bad she had scared him. She didn't mean to and only wanted to make sure he was ok after waking up and finding him gone.

"I'm fine." He winced as his chest began to hurt worse than his throbbing arm.

"Do you want me to get Joe?"

"No, let him sleep, you should be sleeping too."

"I'm not going back in the truck without you." Julie had her sleeping bag unzipped and wrapped around herself too. With the sweats and hoodie she still wore she had been toasty warm. She sat down in the sand with Ben and scooted close.

"Are you warm enough?"

"Not really."

"Here share my sleeping bag." Julie pulled Ben closer and wrapped one side of her sleeping bag around him. She even made sure his bare feet were covered. "Guess I should have brought more blankets with me."

Ben blushed and smiled at her. "I don't know this is pretty nice, sharing and all." He saw how beautiful she was all over again. The moonlight cast the most wonderful light over her he imagined she was glowing, her face surrounded by flowers. Pain in his chest made him come back to reality and he was feeling a little short of breath again. He squeezed his eyes shut and realized he just couldn't sit up anymore. "Are you ok?"

"I'm wonderful." Ben put his right arm around her shoulders and guided her back until they were lying flat on the sand. He stayed on his back and she rolled up on her side to keep her arm across his shoulders. She pulled herself closer to him and made sure the blanket and sleeping bag still covered all of them.

"I am so glad you are ok. I was so scared when I thought I was going to lose you."

"Thank you Julie. I hate that you got hurt, and don't want to see you in danger, but I'm really glad you are here and thank-you, for all of your help."

"Oh it was nothing, it really was. I wish I could help more. The three of you are all so special and formidable in a fight – even when you are not at your best. Joe has saved your lives and even Plumber has been more help than I have."

"That is not true. You are wonderful, and you make me feel happy just when I look at you."

Julie lightly kissed his neck and jaw and put her calf across his legs. Ben blushed again and looked a little nervous.

"Should we really be doing this? Are you sure you wanna be out here alone - with me? You know, Joe doesn't want me exerting myself."

Julie propped her head up with her hand and smiled at him. She sang, "Ben's squirming!" and giggled softly. "Just how do you think you might be going to exert yourself?"

She could see him blush, even in the moonlight. "Well uh, I don't know, but a little exertion might be good for getting my blood pressure up."

"Silly, I am only here to keep you warm. I would never take advantage of you in your condition." Julie pressed her face into his neck and kissed his collarbone. Goose bumps ran all over his skin.

"Too bad, maybe it would be good for my 'condition'." Ben teased. He rose up over her and she rolled onto her back. He put his hand on her cheek and kissed her. When their lips met, she melted under him and wrapped her arms around his back gently. He released her lips and rolled back over on the sand out of breath and pain throbbing in his chest.

"Oh man? Not yet!" he panted. The Omnitrix used to deactivate at the rottenest times, and now his own body was letting him down.

"It is fine Ben. I am very happy just being here with you. I wasn't expecting anything else. Although when you are well, if you don't want me 'very' close to you, you'll have to beat me off with a stick. Oooh my." she giggled, "that sounds fun too."

"Julie?" Now even his hair was blushing.

"What? You are delicious!"

She looked so innocent. She rolled back up on her side and ran her fingers over his skin. Very gently outlining his ribs and being careful to stay away from his incision. Then she spider-walked her fingers across his abdomen before stretching her arm across his stomach to hold him tight.

"If I didn't know any better, I would think you're teasing me! And it is working." Ben rolled on his side and found it easier to breathe. Julie spooned up behind him and rubbed his shoulders.

In only a few minutes, he was already sleeping peacefully. She watched him for a while and thought about how much she "really" liked him. Julie nuzzled the back of his neck and went into a light blissful sleep too.

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[Ben 10 AF]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]

Gwen had been too warm in her sweats so she only slept in sweatpants and her white t-shirt. She woke up, stretched and stood up to look at Kevin and it looked like he was still sleeping comfortably. The moonlight now came in one of the side windows. She looked out and thought it was probably five in the morning.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the gurney was empty. "Ben?" she looked in the front seats, no Ben. She was about to panic "Ben!" she called a little louder and went to the doors to climb out.

Kevin woke up "What's wrong?"

"I don't know - Ben's not here!"

Kevin looked down, "Julie's not here either, I am sure they are fine. If there was trouble, Plumber would have alerted us."

"I'm gonna go find him."

"Come on Gwen. They might be busy, and you don't want to find them 'busy'."

She glared at Kevin at even thinking such a thing. "He likes her, but Ben wouldn't do that! And especially in his condition? Please!"

"You forget, he said he 'reeeally' likes her!"

She went back over by Kevin. He took her hand and guided her to climb over him to be next to the wall. He pressed his body up to hers, effectively trapping her there. She stretched like a cat pretending to ignore him at first before she pulled the blanket down around his waist.

"Let's see . . . what is your condition?"

"My condition is pretty good considering all the hours that have passed since you last kissed me."

"You are so smooth."

"Yes and I am and tough too."

"Are your really tough? Mr. Tough Guy?" Gwen slipped her arm around his ribs to hug him and he winced.

"Sorry Kev."

She relocated her arm lower and tried to give him a gentle squeeze around his waist. As her hand pressed on his burns he winced again, this time with a low moan.

"Sorry!" She said again.

He had his right leg bent with his knee up out from under the blanket and Gwen's leg was lying over his other leg. She sat up a little more and put her arms behind her back. She leaned forward without using her hands at all and aimed to kiss his neck. But as her chest pressed on his, he said "Ow." and tried to reposition out from under her.

"Well crap Kevin! Where don't you hurt?

"Right here." He tapped his finger on his knee. She kept her arms behind her back, curved her body around and gave his right knee-cap a wet smooch.

He grinned at her and pointed to his elbow. She leaned in and planted a kiss on his elbow. Then he pointed at his lips. She braced herself with her hands so she wouldn't put pressure on his sore muscles and pressed her lips against his. He put his hand behind her head and kissed her back.

Kevin pulled her down to lay on him again, willing to take the discomfort to have her close to him. He pressed his lips to hers and she relaxed on top of him as he explored ever part of her mouth with his tongue and she did the same. As they kissed, her hands gently explored the outside of his thigh and kneaded the muscles covering his hip.

When he released her, he gathered her hair all up and held it behind her head in a ponytail so he could see her smiling face. He guided her back down to lie next to him with her head on his shoulder. She left her hand on his chest and gently buried her face under his jaw as he went back to sleep.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Warm breath on Ben's neck gently woke him up. He opened his eyes to look at Julie in the soft glow of dawn and found himself looking up Plumber's nose. He smiled and told him "good boy" as he tried to sit up. Ben found it just too hard and too cold to move so he stayed where he was. Julie felt him move and looked at him. "Good morning."

Joe had followed Plumber and was standing near their feet looking pretty amused at the two of them. "Isn't this against doctor's orders?"

"I thought it was physical therapy." Ben guessed. Julie giggled and covered her head with the blanket.

Joe and Julie helped Ben up and got him back on the gurney in the truck. This time Julie had to clean the dirt off of his incisions. The deal went like, "You got him dirty - you clean him up."

Afterwards, Joe checked him over and applied bandages. Then he did the same for Kevin. They also each got penicillin and Ben got another dose of something for pain.

Thankfully, Joe thought he saw enough improvement with Ben that he took the IV lines out after he got the pain medicine in him without him noticing.

Gwen and Kevin watched and smiled while Joe tended to Ben. Gwen sat up and Kevin rested his head on her leg. Plumber jumped up and rolled onto his back across Kevin's legs. "Hey Plumber, where were you when my feet were cold last night?"

"Oh ya? Guys – where's Tetrax? I haven't seen him since I woke up."

I've been dreading this, Gwen thought, as she moved Kevin's head off her lap to go to Ben. She stood next to Julie and took Ben's hand as she began to tell him what happened. Joe sat back down by Kevin and made him sit up.

"Ben, we have to tell you - Tetrax isn't with us anymore."

"What do you mean? Did he go back to his ship?"

"No, there just isn't a good way to tell you this. I mean he was killed."

"No way! He is a diamondhead! He can't just be killed." Ben's eyes started to look very wet and his lip quivered.

"We saw it happen and Albedo did it. He was blown into tiny splinters at that truck stop."

"No." Ben said weakly and rolled over to face the wall. His body shook with sobs which hurt his chest and made him want to cry harder.

Julie leaned over him and pulled him back to her. She hugged him from behind as he began to cry out loud. Gwen stayed close too and placed her hand gently on Ben's side her eyes tearful too. They stayed with him until he cried himself back to sleep. It didn't take very long since Dr. Joe had already given him the strong pain shot and he was still very weak even without the emotional turmoil.

Joe had gone back to sit in the driver's seat and Kevin was lying on his back, with his arm over his face. Gwen surprised Julie when she hugged her and she nervously hugged her back. Gwen told her, "Thanks for helping Ben! I'm glad you're here."

"I'm glad I'm here too. You are all such good friends, and helping Ben the way you do. You are amazing."

"I hope we can all count you as our friend too and I think you help Ben more than he even realizes."

Kevin got up and slowly climbed down out of the truck. Julie stretched out on the bench and stared into space. Gwen went up front to sit with Joe and Kevin joined them after he watered a tree.

Gwen asked quietly "Do you guys think it's safe to get out of here yet."

"I'm starving." Kevin added.

"Ya, we have to get the windshield fixed quickly, before the police pull us over."

". . . and I am starving." Kevin added.

"I think we're all starving and I need to make another stop right here. He pointed to a little town nearby on the map."

"Why, what's there?"

"I need to pick up a little something from a friend of mine."

"Another Plumber?"

"No a veterinarian friend I went to school with for a while. He is expecting us."

"Oh man, it's not some sharp vet instrument used on horses or something for me is it?"

"No Kevin, but I will keep it in mind if you keep getting yourself hurt."

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

[To be continued . . .]

(Elbow kiss loosely based on Indiana Jones and the Raider's of the lost ark.)


	13. Chapter 12 The Homecoming

**Ben 10 Alien Force**

Homecoming 12

By Crystalquirt

Early Thursday morning Ben is very upset about Tetrax and is very quiet. The others plan what to do next after finally getting a nights rest after the crazed Galvin lost them. A little angst, a little romance.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

From part 11 pt 2 – Hero Rising

"I think we're all starving, but I need to make another stop right here before we stop for food." He pointed to a little town nearby on the map.

"Why, what's there?"

"I need to pick up a little something from a friend of mine."

"Another Plumber?"

"No, he is a veterinarian friend that I went to school with for a while. He is expecting us."

"Oh man, it's not some sharp animal doctor instrument used on cattle or something for me is it?"

"No Kevin, but I will keep things like that in mind if you keep getting yourself hurt."

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

When they were far enough down the road, and exited the freeway, the first place they stopped was a truck stop with showers and luckily, a big store. Well, 'big' for a truck stop. The clothing area of the store even had socks. After they ate Gwen and Julie shopped for everyone who needed something to wear. Kevin stayed in the truck with Ben. Gwen took food out to them since they didn't want to come in wearing their torn up clothes. Joe went to the trucker's laundry and did a load of the few things they had left since everything couldn't be replaced at the truck stop.

They got more drawstring-type sweat pants and t-shirts and socks and they took turns showering. Once they were all dressed, Joe rebandaged Ben's arm and Kevin's leg before they pulled out and headed for Joe's veterinarian friend's office. Gwen went with Kevin in his car. Ben was on the gurney facing the wall. Julie was worried about him and she tried to talk to him, but he was just too distracted and didn't hear most of what she said. No one questioned Joe about what he was up to.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Kevin and Gwen pulled into the dirt parking lot at the Best Care Critter Doctor's Center after the truck. It was right at the edge of town, near some very expensive ranches and horse breeding operations. Kevin rolled his eyes at the giant murals of a dog, cat, bird, horse and cow - with pink ribbons in their hair. The giant silly animals were painted on the outside walls of the office buildings and barns that made up the large veterinary hospital. Kevin backed the car into a spot behind where Dr. Joe parked where he could see the truck and watched as Joe got out and went in.

"I'm gonna go check on Ben." Gwen announced and got out.

Ben was still lying on the gurney, facing the wall. It looked like he was asleep. Gwen climbed in and whispered to Julie.

"How's he doin'?"

Julie looked up at her and just shook her head.

Ben answered, "I'm fine, it's Tetrax who isn't."

"I thought you were asleep, sorry."

"I don't think I will ever sleep again. I just can't believe Albedo killed Tetrax."

"Oh Ben."

Julie stood next to him and put her hand on his shoulder. He crossed his right arm up across his chest and covered her hand with his. She couldn't think of anything comforting to say. All the usual, standard responses, 'his suffering is over, he's in a better place' blah-blah-blah – sounded like such crap as she searched her thoughts. She chose not to say anything, knowing that this was something she could not fix with fancy words. She just stayed close, to be there for him.

She and Gwen sat quietly with Ben until Joe came back. When Kevin saw him coming out of the office, he joined them in the truck to see what he had borrowed from his friend. Ben rolled over to see, but he seemed so distracted, Gwen could tell he wasn't really paying attention.

Joe opened a large case and showed them a long weapon, like a rifle. "Hey Doc, you never cease to amaze me. Your ability to obtain weapons from unlikely places is astonishing, but in most of Albedo's alien forms this primitive earth weapon would be useless."

"Yes, but this isn't a weapon that shoots to kill, it doesn't fire bullets. I am sure Chromastone, Swampfire or Big Chill wouldn't be affected. But Albedo's human form, and from what I have seen and what you have told me his alien forms similar to earth's monkey, Jetray, Humongousaur or Echo Echo, probably would be. It is a high powered tranquilizer gun like the kind they use for elephants and rhinoceros. My friend here is the on-call veterinarian for the Wildlife Planet Zoo down the street."

"It may work. Some of Ben's aliens are susceptible to chemicals just like a human is. Just in case though we will need a backup plan in case it doesn't work and once we capture him, what do we do with him? Since Tetrax is dead, how do we get him back to prison? Ben, can't you 'call' Azmuth with your watch somehow?"

"Probably, but I don't know how unless I overload it again."

Julie was thoughtful, "After you get Albedo, maybe Ship would take us to see Azmuth?"

"That is probably our only option without Tetrax being here. We can worry about it more after we capture Albedo. His capture is the only thing we know we have to do, no matter what."

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

After they had been driving for about two hours, they found a small town right next to the freeway that was just big enough to have three fast food places in it and one of them had Chili Fries! Kevin called Ben on his phone while they were parking across the street to see what everyone in the truck wanted. Joe answered Ben's phone since when it ran, Ben didn't even look up.

Joe and Julie said they would be happy to get whatever they got for them and Ben refused food. Kevin took his car through the drive through and got six of the same cheeseburger meals. One was for Ben anyway in hopes he would eat after all, and another for Plumber, of course.

Gwen was a little grossed out by what he ordered for her and ordered a grilled chicken sandwich with apple wedges for herself and Chili Fries for Ben. Maybe Ben would at least eat some of those.

Ben still wouldn't eat. He said he was sick to his stomach and threatened to throw up every time it was mentioned. Dr. Joe told him he would let him go this time if he would drink a lot of water, but the next time they stopped he promised to get him back on something like rice and chicken that would be easy on his stomach. If he still couldn't eat it, he promised him more IVs and a stop at the next urgent care center for more tests.

Kevin got his and Ben's burgers. He also had Gwen's burger and Julie helped finish off the Chili Fries when he wasn't looking.

They didn't talk much as everyone had their mouths full, and Ben didn't talk at all. His eyes were wet and red and he didn't even feel like moving. What happened to Tetrax hurt him more than any of his injuries.

Kevin pulled out the bottom of his 'Peterbuilt' t-shirt and looked at the design on the front. "I will never forget this trip where all we had to wear was hospital and truck stop 'fashions'. I can't wait until we get home and can get back into our own clothes."

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Albedo found himself in a small town, one with three fast food places at the freeway exit. He was sickened by his cravings for Chili Fries, but was excited anyway when he found them on the menu of the restaurant he chose. That's where he was when he saw Kevin Levin's car outside in the drive-though.

Albedo smiled and said out loud, "I knew I had not really lost them - my superior intellect prevents me from making such mistakes." The two other customer's waiting in line just looked at him like he was crazy – they would never know how right they were. He watched the car through the restaurant window as it went across the street and parked behind the familiar looking truck.

Joe parked in the last row pointing out towards a short guardrail at the edge of the parking lot. Behind the railing was a cliff that dropped straight down to a river below. Farms and ranches stretched as far as they could see from the other side of the river.

"And there are the rest of them, including Ben Tennyson!" he watched and planned as some of them got out of the car with bags of food and climbed into the truck.

About halfway through her sandwich, Gwen stopped eating it looked like she was scanning the interior of the truck with her glowing eyes. But really she was focusing in on the presence she felt.

"ALBEDO! He is nearby!" Ben rolled over and paid attention. Gwen kept the mask that Albedo had worn in her pocket ever since Kevin gave it to her. She got up to get out of the truck. She was going to go find Albedo.

"No" Kevin stopped her. "Don't go out, can you tell how close he is or what he's doing from here?"

"Very close, and right now, his is not moving around. He is in the restaurant across the street."

"Maybe we shouldn't let him know yet that we know he's here."

Ben stood up. "Now that we know Albedo is still with us, we should set a trap for him here, and end this."

"Your right, we should take care of Albedo before we get home."

"Right, I will make him pay for what happened to Tetrax."

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Gwen really didn't like the plan Ben came up with at all. He decided he would be left alone as 'bait' to lure him close enough for Joe to get him with the tranquilizer gun. She knew he was in no condition to be taking chances like this and there was no guarantee the tranquilizer would work on any of the alien creatures, and they knew it wouldn't work on some at all if he chose to turn into one of them. Kevin, herself and the laser lances were to be the backup plan, but she was still very worried since a similar situation had already gone badly at the truck stop.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

First, Ben went Big Chill and went invisible and intangible. Then Plumber, Julie, Kevin, Joe and Gwen all climbed out of the truck and went to Kevin's car, but Julie got in the driver's seat with Plumber sitting next to her. Kevin looked uncomfortable, but not because of Albedo, but because someone else would be driving his car. "Julie just take it easy! You don't even have a license!

"Don't worry, my dad taught me how to drive, I will be careful and get back as soon as I can."

"No" all they could hear was Big Chill's voice, since he was intangible and invisible. "Julie, stay away, where you'll be safe. I will call you as soon as Albedo is captured."

Julie said nothing, but glared at him, she had no intention of staying away.

As Kevin and Gwen got in the back of his car, Big Chill turned them invisible and intangible and flew back to hide them inside the truck one at a time. Once he released them inside the truck, they became visible. Then Big Chill flew back out for Joe, and managed to make him invisible and intangible, but hissed loudly trying to catch his breath. He really strained to try to take off while carrying him. Ben didn't have the strength left to fly with him, even the short distance to the truck.

"I can't lift you! What do we do?" he panted.

"No problem Ben, just keep me invisible while we walk to the truck and I will climb in through the door without opening it."

Ben tried it and it went well. Invisible Big Chill climbed up in the truck through the door after him. Julie had already driven away. She got on the freeway, only to get off at the next exit. Ben's instructions for her, was to just leave and stay away out of danger. The more Julie thought about it, the more she just couldn't. She had to get back, to at least watch and if they needed help, maybe she could do something.

Julie parked the car in front of a closed real estate office near the exit ramp, and then looked around trying to figure out how to get back. Plumber got out and marked the office's trees as his own. There was a small town cab company's vehicle right across the street at the Big Macs! The driver had just gotten something to eat through the drive through and had pulled over in the driveway across from her to eat. When she approached him, he ignored her at first, wanting to have his lunch break in piece.

But she offered him fifty dollars just to take her back three miles to the last exit where her friends were. He got her to add another fifty to take Plumber, saying that he didn't allow dogs in his cab. So a hundred dollars got her and Plumber a ride and even a disguise. She found a ball cap in the back seat of the cab and when she asked about it, the cab driver tossed it into the deal. She paid the driver and went to the outside dining area by the restaurant across the street.

No one could be seen around the truck, except Albedo Ben standing between a parked car and the building. Julie stood up to watch him as he moved toward the truck. Plumber growled.

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Albedo was watching what they did and asked himself several questions. "Why would they go off and leave Ben alone - especially since he is injured? Maybe they think that they are that safe now. I wonder if I should have followed them for a little way to see what they are up to, but why waste time?

"Humans are completely illogical. I get a headache just trying to figure them out. Ben Tennyson is right in front of me, and alone. I will kill him and take his Omnitrix right now." Albedo walked out in the empty parking lot and slapped his Omnitrix. Spidermonkey appeared after the flash and leapt up to the back of the truck.

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Kevin and Joe sat in the front, inside the truck and Joe put the tranquilizer gun together. Ben changed back to his human form and leaned over on the gurney, panting and holding his chest. "That was harder than I thought it would be."

"Ben, it's only been a couple of days since you were injured severely and had major surgery."

"Ya Ben, if something goes wrong here, you have to let me and Kevin take care of it. You and Joe stay in here."

"No promises." Ben smiled at her.

"Ben, I'm not kidding!"

Joe interrupted, "Alright, we're ready, just understand that even if this works you will have to keep him busy and prevent him from running off, or injuring any of you while the drug takes effect. It will take 15 or 20 minutes at the best to drop him."

"Oh man . . . that's a long time." Now Ben was very nervous.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Ben turned to look at the back truck doors when they suddenly flew open. Gwen pushed Ben out of the way and stood in front of him, ready to protect him as Albedo Spidermonkey and blocked the doorway. Albedo hesitated for a moment, surprised at seeing Ben's friends back with him when he was sure he saw them leave.

Joe took the chance and fired a tranquilizer dart. The syringe buried itself in the fur in Spidermonkey's chest, right next to the Omnitrix symbol. A bang and a puff of smoke rose from his fur as it injected the tranquilizer under his skin.

"What is this? Some feeble attempt to stop me? It didn't even hurt . . . stupid humans!" He pulled the syringe out of his skin and threw it aside.

Gwen threw energy at him, and knocked him back off the truck. Albedo Spidermonkey howled, spun in mid-air and landed on his feet. He shot web at Gwen and hit her, pinning her arms to her sides. He yanked her out of the truck with the web and before she landed Kevin was under her to catch her. Plumber charged passed Kevin and attacked Albedo Spidermonkey.

Kevin put Gwen down on her feet and tore the webbing from her arms. Plumber landed next to them all wrapped up in webbing. He growled and snarled as he started chewing on it to get loose. Spidermonkey howled and screamed like an enraged chimpanzee and jumped on Kevin. Gwen got a lash around three of his six feet and pulled him off of him. She put an energy barrier around Spidermonkey to try and contain him.

Albedo Spidermonkey effortlessly jumped through the top of her energy barrier and landed on Kevin, he fell on his back with Spidermonkey on top of him. Kevin's arms were held together over his head with Spidermonkey's first pair of legs, his hind legs stood on Kevin's knees and his second pair of legs kicked him in the ribs and stomach. Kevin yelled in anger and struggled.

Gwen fired energy balls of mana at Spidermonkey. She forced him to stop kicking Kevin and turn to face her. He swung Kevin around by his arms and threw him at Gwen. She effortlessly caught Kevin in her energy but fell with her legs tangled in webbing. Albedo changed into Humongousaur while they struggle to get up again.

Joe and Ben were watching. Joe said "Uh Oh" as they watched Kevin reach for the nearest car to absorb the iron frame. Ben got ready to slap his watch, and Joe grabbed his arm. "No Ben, you can't."

"But . . . Oh man - this is going to be the longest fifteen minutes of our lives." Ben argued, but lowered his arms to watch the battle. Kevin gritted his teeth as he absorbed the metal before going to protect Gwen. Too late, Gwen was already down trying to kick her legs out of the webbing and firing at Humongousaur as he landed over her.

Gwen created a bubble over herself as Albedo Humongousaur pulled his fist back to pound her. Kevin tackled Humongousaur, or tried to, but his full weight landing on Humongousaur did no more than distract him from Gwen for a moment while he slammed Kevin across the back with his tail.

Another strike and Kevin flew back through the air. He landed next to a red car and rolled back up to his feet just in time to try to jump away as Humongousaur charged him again. As he jumped, he felt rows of large teeth crushing his ankle and yank him to as stop in mid-air. Next thing he knew he was dangling upside-down from Albedo Humongousaur's teeth.

Gwen pulled the webbing off her legs and wrapped a heavy lash of mana around Humongousaur trying to make him let Kevin go. Albedo Humongousaur turned and grinned at her with Kevin hanging from his foot in his mouth right before he smashed her mana and hit her with his tail. She fell back and exhaled audibly as her eyes shut and she went limp.

Kevin called to her and kicked Humongousaur's jaw and neck with his free leg and punched air with his fists frantic to get to Gwen.

"I have to!' Ben cried and jumped from the back of the truck. After a wobbly landing, he also went Humongousaur and charged Albedo from behind. He chomped on Albedo Humongousaur's thick leathery neck so hard he tasted blood. He dropped Kevin and pushed back into Ben's Humongousaur with his huge legs. The two Humongousaurs fell backwards with Albedo on top of Ben.

Kevin ran over to Gwen and held her in his arms. The tough guy got tears in his eyes when he couldn't get her to wake up.

Ben twisted out from under Albedo and punched him. Albedo turned and elbowed Ben in the jaw as he got up. Ben jumped up too, but even as Humongousaur, he looked shaky and weak. "You look pitiful and pathetic Ben. Just give up and give me the Omnitrix, save yourself and your friends some suffering."

"Forget it, you are responsible for anything that happens to my friends!" Ben readied himself for Albedo's next charge. As their huge bodies slammed together the ground shook.

.

Albedo knocked Ben down and jumped on top of him. Ben Humongousaur roared when Albedo Humongousaur punched him in the middle of his chest right where he had been stabbed. Ben's Omnitrix deactivated and he changed back to human Ben.

Albedo laughed and picked Ben up with one giant fist around his waist. Ben screamed and threatened Albedo as he grabbed his Omnitrix arm.

Joe gasped, "I won't let you ruin my hard work! I just got done patching him back together after the last time." He shot Albedo with another tranquilizer and then ran at him firing a laser lance. Plumber got out of the webbing and joined Joe in the charge with his teeth bared.

During the chaos Julie circled around and ran up along the railing along the cliff and got a laser lance out of the front of the truck. She ran at Humongousaur at the same time as Joe, firing a solid beam at Albedo's neck and head as she went.

Ben saw her and nobody but Albedo heard him whisper, "Julie, no . . ."

With two laser beams pounding him and a large wolf-dog chewing on his tail, Albedo dropped Ben and changed into Chromastone. He redirected the lasers sending each shot off in different directions. The bolts of energy striking all around the nearby buildings, and restaurants sent the few people that were nearby running away.

The shots hit close to Julie and Joe and they got back behind the truck but they kept firing. Plumber stayed at Joe's side waiting for his next command.

When a shot from Chromastone hit a car next to Kevin and Gwen, she moaned and looked into Kevin's eyes. He reached over and absorbed the iron from the car, enveloping Gwen in his armor too. Another shot hit near her feet. He pushed her back down flat on the ground and covered her with his own body.

Now nearly invincible as Chromastone, Albedo absorbed and redirected Julie and Joe's shots. They stopped shooting as soon as they realized he was just turning their own attacks back at them. Albedo stared at Ben while he nonchalantly fired at his friends. Ben was still curled up on the ground with his arms crossed around his chest. He returned Albedo's stare as he panted and struggled to get up and save the others.

"You are no threat to me anymore Ben Tennyson. I will get back to you after your friends pay for what they have done - and you get to watch them suffer." Chromastone Albedo turned his attention to Kevin and Gwen. Kevin saw him take aim at them and quickly covered Gwen with his own armored body.

Kevin smiled at her and stared into her eyes the whole time Chromastone's shots were hitting his back over and over. She begged him to get off of her and protect himself. "I'm ok – it's nothing – I won't let him hurt you!" he insisted. The fourth shot blasted large chunks of his armor away from his back and shoulder. He cried out and fell on her with his eyes closed.

"Kevin, no! LET ME UP!" Gwen concentrated trying to put her barrier back around them. A weak energy field appeared around them but shattered with the first shot that hit it. Kevin braced himself as another hit his leg and went through the armor. He reached for the car again to repair the damage the repeated shots were making in his armor.

When he reached for the car, Gwen took the chance and tried to get up. Kevin held her down with one hand on her shoulder.

"No, Gwen-stay down!" he whispered as he gritted his teeth against another bolt of energy as it took a large piece of armor off his side over his ribs. Chromastone was walking toward them now, his shots getting stronger as he got closer. Another shot into his unprotected back, Kevin let go of the car frame and fell with his full weight on Gwen.

"Kevin Get off!" she cried as she pushed on him.

"Ha! You two are so pathetic." Albedo was interrupted by the sound of a diesel engine starting. Joe had jumped in the truck and put it in reverse. He stopped on the accelerator and the tires squealed as the big four-wheel drive machine backed over Albedo Chromastone. Joe stopped and jumped out to run to Ben. He wasn't trying to get up anymore and looked unconscious.

Under the truck Albedo changed to Swampfire and sent vines out from under the truck at Joe. With vines around Joe's legs, Swampfire pulled him over to the cliff edge. Now Julie's laser fire just tickled him as they went through his vines and his body instantly reformed at the damaged sites. He formed more long vines and wrapped them around Julie. She dropped the laser lance as she was pulled along the ground. Albedo Swampfire suspended them in the air for a moment and laughed before he dropped them over the cliff. Plumber went to the edge and whined as he looked down.

Ben heard their screams as they fell and adrenaline alone enabled Ben to struggle to his feet. He slapped his watch and went Jetray before he dove off the cliff after Joe and Julie. He wrapped his arms around each one of them and strained to hold onto them and slow down. He pulled out of the dive uncomfortably close to the ground and went crashing through a cornfield with them. Ben Jetray held them close and rolled to protect them as the cornstalks slapped his tough alien hide.

When they stopped Joe got up right away, Julie hugged Ben Jetray close. "Ben? Can you hear me?"

"Ya, I hear you. Gotta get back up to Kevin and Gwen." Ben gently moved out of Julie's hold on him and after a shaky liftoff streaked back up to the parking lot.

"No Ben! Take us back up with you!" She cried, but even if he had heard her, he would have left her as far away from Albedo as he could.

When got back up to the top, he involuntarily changed back to his human form and fell a few feet back to the pavement. In pain, he panted and held his Omnitrix arm against his chest while he looked at Gwen and Kevin, the armor that covered both of them had dissolved and it looked like Kevin had passed out.

Gwen was weak from the ongoing battle and was still trapped under him. She was calling his name and trying to push him off of her. Gwen tried weakly to keep a barrier up but Albedo Swampfire was playfully shattering it over and over by throwing fireballs at them, just to torment her.

"Crap! Why hasn't Joe's tranquilizer taken affect yet?" Ben summoned all the strength he could.

"I can do this – I can take him alone." He held out the Omnitrix and prepared to go Big Chill. He really would have preferred Goop, as he had no body to feel pain with, but wasn't sure he could since goop had been damaged fighting with Steel. While he tried to concentrate on what he was doing he didn't realize how long it was taking him to make up his mind. Pain made him feel disoriented and he blinked trying to focus on the watch dial.

Before he could activate the Omnitrix, Ben stumbled sideways, just barely keeping himself from falling. He got so dizzy all of a sudden and his vision went blurry. He fell to his knees with his arms hanging limply at his sides. Albedo Swampfire was walking back over to Ben. He was laughing at all of his fallen enemies and changed back to his human default now that they were all defeated.

Ben could hear Albedo laughing at him. It sounded like his own voice laughing and he thought "How creepy that sounds," as Albedo walked up to him.

Ben was too weak to prevent Albedo Ben from picking him up across his arms. He mumbled to himself as he started to walk away.

"I will take you to the kitchen in this restaurant and use their knives to take your arm before I kill you." He spoke to his victim as he walked and thought happily about how this would be Ben Tennyson's final moments. Ben kicked weakly but Albedo didn't react.

Now that they weren't being attacked, Gwen used an energy lash to roll Kevin off of her. She saw Albedo pick Ben up and carry him away and used her mana energy to propel her through the air and landed in front of Albedo, blocking his path.

"Put him down!"

"You dare to challenge me again! Why do you continue to protect this worm at the risk of your own life?" Albedo stuttered. "He is not worthy of . . ." Albedo stopped talking and closed his eyes for a moment. He was finally beginning to feel very dizzy.

Gwen yelled and ran forward when Albedo dropped Ben on the pavement. She wasn't in time to catch him, but she landed an energy blast right in Albedo's face pushing him away from Ben.

Albedo fell back and held his head in his hands trying to think why he felt so weak and dizzy. "NO! I am SO close to getting my revenge and Ben's Omnitrix! What is going on?" Albedo panicked and turned into Jetray to try and escape.

Julie and Joe ran out from behind the truck. They grabbed the laser lances and started shooting again to bring Albedo Jetray down. He screamed when he found he couldn't stay in the air and fell. He struggled on the ground for a moment before the tranquilizer forced him to sleep.

Albedo changed back to his human form again as Joe went to him to confirm he really was tranquilized, and just in case Joe shot him with another dart right in the butt just for the sheer pleasure of it.

Kevin woke up and staggered over to where Gwen was sitting with Ben. Julie and Joe were there too. Joe was taking Ben's pulse. Ben saw Julie and Joe and asked them how they got back up the cliff.

Julie didn't really answer him, saying only that they had a little help. She looked like she was about to burst with a secret.

"Lets get them back to the truck, Albedo too. We probably should get out of here before the cops show up to see what's going on"

Joe picked Albedo up and shouldered him in a fireman's carry. Kevin picked Ben up in spite of Ben's arguments that he could walk. Kevin noticed that Ben seemed lighter. "You've lost weight man. We better force-feed you some Chili Fries." Even in Kevin's own weakened condition, he had no trouble picking him up across his arms and carrying him.

Gwen asked about Albedo as they crossed the parking area. "What do we do with him now? How long will he be out Joe?"

"Not sure, if he were an elephant I would guess he would start waking up after about an hour, I shot him three times, I think – I might have lost count so he should be out a long time." Joe grinned.

A deep voice boomed from the top of the truck as they got near. "I see you've done my job for me."

"TETRAX- you're ok!" Gwen exclaimed as he hopped off the top of the truck. Julie smiled at Ben. "He is how we got back up the cliff so fast."

Ben was speechless, he wasn't even sure he really did see him. Kevin let Ben down, but hung onto him to help him stand. Julie joined them and held Ben's hand. Joe put Albedo on the ground at Tetrax' feet and Gwen stood nearby.

"Tetrax! I told you guys he couldn't be killed!" Ben smiled and Julie helped him stand. Ben stared at Tetrax and finally spoke, "What happened to you, we thought you were dead."

"I can't be destroyed by the likes of Albedo! Not completely anyway. He shattered me into such small pieces it took a long time for me to regenerate. I'm sorry I couldn't be here sooner."

"Its ok. We kicked his butt!"

"I will take Albedo off of your hands and return him to prison. They have made some changes that will keep him there this time."

Tetrax put Albedo in a level 6 containment unit and flew off with it in tow to go back to his ship. Ben was so happy, his chest actually felt better. He looked at the others "I am really hungry!"

Joe smiled at him and messed up his hair.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Back in Kevin's car, he was going to take Gwen back and get Ben some Chili Fries. While they waited in the line at the drive-though, Kevin spoke first. "You know what Gwen? Ever since I absorbed the metal and covered you too, I feel all tingly."

"Do you really?" she teased. "Why do you suppose that is?"

"Not sure, but I think more research should be done. I will hold you very, very close and include you when I absorb many different surfaces and we will see which ones 'feels' the best. It may take hours, or even days if we are lucky.

Gwen giggled and scooted closer to him. She put her hand up under his shirt and lightly traced circles with her fingertips over his pecs.

"Hehehe, let's have none of that while I am driving – here, just let me pull over!"

He parked behind the truck where they were and pulled Gwen over to him. "Are you ok, really?" he asked her. "You scared me."

"I'm fine." She assured him. "Well okay then. Fine enough to do this?" he pressed his lips to hers and moaned as they kissed passionately. She got goose bumps as his hands ran up and down her back. Her hands found their way up his shirt and she worked his abs and chest muscles under her fingers like she was kneading dough.

Gwen drew in a quick breath and stopped suddenly. "We better take Ben his fries before he starves."

"Oh man, can't he wait?" Kevin looked like a puppy left out in the rain as she got out and skipped over to the truck.

"Alright, if we must." Kevin got out and followed her. Ben ate ravenously. Gwen held Kevin's hand while he lay on the bench in that familiar position while Joe rebandaged his back and leg. Joe instructed Kevin, "Now that Albedo is on his way off the planet – I expect you to behave yourself and finally let these heal."

"Maybe." Kevin grinned.

"Maybe you say? Kevin-I will take you down with a dart and doctor you like I would a wild animal if I have to." Kevin grinned at him and said "maybe" one more time. Joe reached for the tranquilizer gun and Kevin gave in. "No doc, that won't be necessary-I promise!"

Ben quickly ate the whole box of Chili Fries, except the three that he gave to Plumber and then held still while Dr. Joe rebandaged his chest and arm. He felt so much better with Albedo captured, and knowing Tetrax was alive he had trouble holding still.

"You have some more bruises Ben, but I think everything looks ok. Your healing fine considering all you have done to yourself since you had surgery."

"Sorry doc, I'll get some rest now. Maybe you can write me a note to get me out of going back to school right away."

Joe glared at him. "You shouldn't be wrestling dinosaurs, but I think sitting at a desk in school will be fine. Even your PE class won't hurt you. Just be a little careful with your arm."

"Oh man." Ben moaned.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

They got back on the road again without incident and Joe stayed with them all the way back to Bellwood. Gwen thought their injuries would be easier to explain if he was with them, and their parents wouldn't be so upset if they met the Doctor that took care of them. She couldn't decide what kind of car accident to blame their injuries on. Whatever she thought of, she was afraid they would blame Kevin since he was the one that always drove them around.

Joe parked the large, odd looking truck in front of Ben's house. Kevin drove Gwen to her house. Greeting her parents and telling them about Ben's injuries when they got home went smoother than she thought it would. Her parents were worried about Ben and promised to visit him later at his house, but otherwise stayed cool. Kevin waited for Gwen in the car and when she came out and got back in the car, they went to Ben's.

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Ben and Julie went in together to introduce Joe to Ben's parents and tell them what happened. Ben was glad Julie stayed with him. Maybe they wouldn't overreact as much with her there. Ben's mother freaked a little, but did calm down after talking with Joe.

They knew it wasn't a car accident, but didn't press their son for the details. They knew he would tell them later if he wanted to, and didn't want him to feel pressured. Since they knew about the Omnitrix, they suspected he was hurt in a fight with an alien.

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Ben went to his room when they got finished talking and fell back on the bed. Ben's mom made coffee and Joe sat down at the dining table to talk some more.

Julie followed Ben quietly. She knocked softly on his door and he told her to come in. He was on the bed on top of the covers and she seemed a little nervous being in his room. She fidgeted a little while she sat on the edge of the bed next to him. "You sure you don't mind me being here."

"Of course I don't mind. I am always happy when you're near me."

"This is the first time I've been in your room."

"Hopefully it won't be the last." Ben blushed and took her hand in his. She turned and leaned over him to hold his other hand too. The bandage went from the edge of the Omnitrix almost up to his elbow this time. Joe wanted to protect it well and also hide some of the bruising from Ben's parents.

But Ben was still worried about all that had happened to them, and especially to her. "I'm so sorry you got hurt. I just can't stand it."

Julie put her index finger against his lips to quiet him. "I'm fine Ben, I am not sorry for anything that happened and feel thankful to be with you, no matter what happens. You saved me, and Joe fixed it so I wouldn't even have a scar." She thoughtfully ran her fingers through his hair before reaching over to find his hand to hold it again. He continued worrying, apologizing and explaining.

"I was very happy you came with us, but I always thought I could protect you, and now I know . . . after all that happened . . . I can't. I felt so helpless. When you really needed me, I couldn't protect you. Maybe we shouldn't see each other anymore-if my enemies see us together, it would be too easy for them to threaten to hurt you to try and stop me. Some of them are even more dangerous than Albedo was. I have a lot of different species angry with me and any of them could . . ."

Julie realized there was only one way to shut him up. She already held both of his hands so it was easy to push his hands over his head and press them into the mattress. He barely noticed she was holding him down at first and kept talking. As she leaned over him, gently resting her body against his chest, she began kissing his neck near his shirt collar.

"Julie, I . . . "Ben found it harder to concentrate on what he was saying. She kissed him more aggressively as she went. He put his head back to make it easier for her to reach wherever she was aiming. On his neck near his jaw, she started a 'doozy' of a hickey. He moaned and squirmed a little.

"Ben, are you going to be quiet?" she sounded a little threatening when she asked.

"No . . . um . . . I don't think so, yet – you may have to keep this up, maybe cover my mouth somehow."

She brushed her lips past his, teasing as she went to the other side of his neck. Finally she took his suggestion found his lips again. Her eyes closed she explored every corner of his mouth with her tongue. Still holding his hands over his head she felt him arch his back to press harder against her.

She rose up and looked at him. The heat from the sun in the window poured across his bed and left a thin sheen of sweat on Ben's face. He felt so warm and relaxed. Julie stretched out next to him keeping her body close to his. She was so happy to see him smiling and relaxed again.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Kevin parked on the street behind the truck and they went in. they greeted Ben's parents and went right up to Ben's room. Kevin went in without knocking and giggled when he saw Julie on the bed with him. Nothing was going on, but it was still worth some teasing.

Dr Joe came to the doorway and they told him to come in too. He sat cross-legged on the floor with Plumber in front of Ben's dresser.

Ben sat up before speaking. "Joe, thank you so much for all you did for us. We wouldn't have lived through this without you. Is there anything we can do for you?"

"No, I don't need anything at all. It has been quite an adventure, and resulted in a chance to see new places, new friends, and start over someplace new. It's all good!"

"What will you do now since the Forever Knights destroyed your house?"

"I think I will get that truck painted and fixed up, register it in my name and stay on the road for a while. Plumber and I will probably settle down in San Francisco for a while when we get tired of being on the road."

Kevin wanted to know if he had a secret that even he didn't know about. "How will you get the truck registered in your name, I'm sure it belongs to someone in the Forever Knights?"

"Hey, like you – I know some people." Joe smiled and excused himself to leave. Gwen and Julie jumped up and gave him hugs. He made sure they had his cell number and told them to call if another adventure came up that he could join them on.

Kevin followed Joe out to 'his' truck just to be polite – after Gwen poked him. She stayed just long enough to be sure Ben didn't need anything, and then left to join Kevin in his car.

Julie gently poked Ben in the ribs and told him to turn over on his stomach. She helped him take off his shirt before he lay back down and first, put a pillow under his chest so he'd be more comfortable. As he waited apprehensively to see what she was going to do, she searched his nightstand and found lotion. She warmed a big glob of lotion in her palms and started rubbing his back. She expertly worked and manipulated each sore muscle from his shoulders to his waist. He was sure now, that this was the best homecoming he had EVER had.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

Out in the car, Gwen put on her seatbelt before Kevin pulled out to take her home. When he stopped in front of her house, he turned off the engine like he was planning to stay a while.

In no hurry to get out either, Gwen scooted over and sat close to him so she could lean her head on his shoulder. He turned on the radio and found something soft and relaxing to listen to. Gwen was exhausted, and couldn't help but yawn. She covered her mouth and buried her face in his shirt.

"You warm enough? I can start the engine and turn on the heater."

"I'm fine, really tired, but fine. You?"

"I'm ok, now that I'm here alone with you." She saw the mischief in his eyes and thought she better be the practical one before he suggested something too fun to refuse.

"I guess I should go in so I can get some rest. School's gonna be brutal tomorrow."

"Ya, probably . . . school."

Gwen noticed he seemed too thoughtful, like he was trying to decide if he should talk or not.

"What's going on Kevin? Is something wrong?" He looked guilty about something when he looked at her.

"Come on Kev – spit it out."

"OK - Um, Gwen? I l-lo-luf-love you."

Gwen shot him a huge smile and hugged him. "Ditto." and then added, "I love you too, Kevin."

He coughed a little and continued, "Um . . . Do you think you'd wanna someday, maybe um, well only if you wanna . . . Gwen? Do you think someday you might wanna marry me?"

Gwen squealed softly and hugged his neck. "I think that maybe, someday I would wanna marry ya – no promises!" she giggled.

It looked like Kevin caved in on himself. He was confused. She looked so happy, at first. If it were possible he would have pulled his head into his chest, like a turtle. That wet puppy look melted her heart every time she saw it.

"Silly! I'm only teasing! Of course I PROMISE! I can think of nothing I would like more than to marry you, someday!"

A wave of relief washed over his face and he pulled her close, they kissed a long passionate kiss before finally separating their lips. He still held her close and she noticed he still looked a little confused, "So uh, does that mean we are engaged?"

"I guess it kinda does." She replied. "This has been a GREAT homecoming, don't you agree?" Kevin said "ditto" and got out to walk her to the door.

[[[[[((((((((((Ben10AF)))))))))))]]]]]

[End]


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